Her Forgiveness
by The Lady Destiny
Summary: She can't forgive Jasper for what he did, but she wishes she could. For her to be mated to an empath is almost ironic, because most days Belle can't figure out what she is feeling, only that every time she comes near her mate she sees his mistake. JasperOC M for caution
1. An Anchor

I never really knew what brought all of this on. It could have been a great deal of things, from that day that I chose to mainstream, to the day I was changed. It could have been the day I was born or even the day that the world was created. All I could tell you now is that, in some part of me, I wish I was still a human and I still had a chance at a somewhat normal life. True, I would never be the peasant kind of normal, as a Queen to Amenhotep but sometimes I couldn't help but think it would have been an easier life.

There wouldn't have been vampires, or shape shifters. If I was still Queen to Amenhotep I would only have to worry about human things. As a human I could be lost, imperfect and forgotten. Yes, as a human no one would notice me. I could have faded into the background next to Amenhotep, no one looked at the Queen really. But that was a dream that could never come true for me.

Now, as I sat in my room at Charlie's house, looking out the window I thought about all of it, my entire life. I had almost nothing to show for it. What had I really accomplished? Bella had even accomplished more than me, she had a loving father and mother and two men fighting over her. What did I have? A history?

Bella had just come in from her allotted time with Edward. She had to be back inside the house at four, per her arrangement with Charlie. I thought that it was a smidgen of extreme, but given the fact that I could leave anytime I want, and for whatever reason I wanted, made me a little less sympathetic. And the fact that it was Edward she was with didn't make me feel any better.

I glanced away from the view of the window and to the rings on my fingers. Speaking of mates and restrictions, Jasper wasn't banned from the house. He could come and go as he pleases, but that was merely because I hadn't become a zombie when he left, or so Charlie thinks. I believe that Jasper had used his gift to change Charlie's mind, but there wasn't anything I could do about it, because Charlie liked Jasper. He liked Alice to, and she came over a lot.

Jasper though, kept to himself most of the time, and came over only twice a week. I knew it was a tactic he was using to get me to forgive him. When Jasper did come over he was bonding with Bella and Charlie, and giving me small gifts. He'd gifted me with a necklace, a rose, and a journal. I loved every one of the gifts. I was wearing the necklace, a beautiful silver strand with a golden heart at the end. It opened up to show one of the pictures that had been taken before the incident. It was me laughing with him, and Jasper looking at me fondly.

Jasper was very good at making me forgive him. But. I was still resisting him with everything I had. It wasn't out of spite, or because I hated him. It was because I loved him so much. I was so afraid that if I handed my heart back over, he would crush it. I wouldn't live through it if he did it again. I just couldn't.

"Belle." I turned around to see Bella standing there. Things had been a bit strained between us ever since she brought Edward back. She knew that I didn't like Edward, and I hadn't from the start. I understood, and she thought I didn't, but I still couldn't forgive him for what he had done to her. To see her so broken, and crushed, it was something I didn't want to have to live through, ever again.

"Hey, Bella. How was your day? Did you say yes yet?" I tried to make it energetic, tried to make it nice and fluffy but it wasn't. I just couldn't manage it any more. I felt as if I was in a constant state of depression. I should be better, Jasper was here again. It apparently didn't matter if he was just here, I was still losing weight, and I hadn't feed, despite the multiple tries of the Cullen's, Bella, and even myself. I just couldn't find the energy to. I didn't want to feed off of anything now.

"No." Bella said, coming inside and flopping down onto her bed. "He's come up with a 'compromise' he says. He'll change me, if I marry him." I cringed and got up from my desk chair, shutting off my computer, which had been on my Google homepage for a long time. I didn't want to voluntarily listen to her speak about Edward, and the marrying question. It made me sick to think that Bella was in love with Edward, who had broken her heart so badly. I was happy that she, at the very least, hadn't said yes to his proposal, because he was spoiled. She gave him everything he asked for, and for this one time she hadn't.

I wasn't trying to fool myself, I knew it would be only a short time before Bella agreed to marry him, if not her happiness, for his. Bella had never liked marriage, and I tended not to agree. Just because I hadn't liked my marriage with Amenhotep, and Jasper and I's marriage had yet to just take off, didn't mean that I didn't know marriage could be a loving bond. I'd seen old couples on the street, so in love that if I couldn't see their age before me, I would believe them to be love struck teenagers. That's how I wanted Jasper and I to be, but sadly it seemed as if it wasn't going to happen. Our marriage hadn't been right for more than a day before my happiness had been destroyed, plus Jasper never aged, and my own aging was only an illusion. So there was still a chance, if I could allow it.

"Hmmm…" I picked up one of my books and analyzed Bella. She was different…I don't know how to say it but she just was. I think all of this was finally getting to her. I'm not sure. I can never be sure with Bella.

It might be that the wolves won't talk to Bella. Jacob won't come near her, and I knew why. I couldn't blame him. With the way she broke it to him that she didn't love him that way, I could honestly say that even I was heartbroken for him. I'd said it before that I wished that she would have chosen Jacob, but either way I didn't like it. When she is with Edward, she's with someone who has already hurt her before, and if she were to get with Jacob, she'd only end up like Sam, Emily, and Leah. I didn't know what to do, so I could only sit back and watch.

I wasn't even allowed on to the reservation land. It wasn't spoken, like it was with Bella, more as it was unspoken. They felt like they couldn't talk about the Cullen family without hurting my feelings and I was often left out of discussions in fear that I would go tell the Cullens. It only made my feelings hurt, and then I'd run to Jasper. Just because he made me feel better.

"Charlie says that I'm ungrounded, as long as I spend time with my other friends." Bella told me, interrupting my contemplation. I was doing that a lot, thinking without thinking, if that makes sense. I believe it is a side effect.

"And by other friends he means Jacob." I told her, looking at her. She looked great, much better than without Edward. She'd gained back any weight she'd loss and the bags under her eyes were gone. It's probably because she slept now. I wouldn't know. She didn't sleep with me anymore; she slept in her bed with Edward looking over her. I thought it was rather creepy but... "Maybe if Edward wasn't with such a control freak, you wouldn't have this problem." I muttered, mussing my hair.

"Belle. Edward is in my life." Bella got up, standing in front of me. My facial expression didn't change, I wasn't impressed. "You, and Charlie, and everyone else, need to realize that. He's back, and he apologized." Bella told me, running her fingers through her hair in aggravation. He may have apologized, but words will only ever go so far with me.

"I've told you before Bella, vampires can hold grudges for a long time." I told her, slowly. "And you'll find that Edward's nature is to control you. _Jasper, _the paranoid vampire he is, even lets me go to see the wolves." I told her and I sighed, tossing the book from my limp hand. "I've realized that Edward is in your life, and I understand. You need to understand that no matter what you say, I can't just magically forgive him for hurting my baby sister." I walked away, shaking my hair and plopping down the stairs. Bella didn't follow me, but I was glad she didn't.

Like I said, we weren't getting along. I wasn't getting along with anyone right about now. Paul and I…we weren't talking anymore. We didn't have an excuse to talk to each other. I didn't come on to the reservation, because I felt unwanted, and Paul didn't come over because he hated the Cullens. It hurt a little to lose Paul. I had gotten so close, and he'd helped me without even realizing. I just hope that I've helped him; after all he was always calmer when I was there.

At least I never led him on, like Bella did to Jacob. I would never be that harsh, no matter how much I miss Paul. I wasn't stupid either. Paul may have been infatuated, and I may have liked him, had I never met Jasper, but I was never going to really be the one for him. It would have just been heart ache for the both of us. I know it.

Grabbing my coat, and shouting a halfhearted goodbye to Charlie I got into my car, fixed from all of the werewolf kind of accidents, I drove off. I wasn't going to the reservation, or to the Cullen house. Instead I was going somewhere I'd found I was going to a lot more lately.

Our cliff.

I hadn't been here since Jasper had been with me. But it was nice to come here, to watch the little fish swim around. Sometimes, if it had rained a great deal the pond would overflow enough to make a waterfall over the side of the cliff. It was a beautiful place.

And every time I was here, sooner or later, Jasper would appear. As I sat, my legs over the side of the cliff, and my eyes cast up towards the sky, which was steadily becoming darker, I realized that most of the time, that's what I came for. I came to relish Jasper's presence. Any other time, there was always someone else around us, and I had to set lines. Here, I didn't have to. It was just us. Most of the time we didn't speak, we didn't even look at each other. I wanted him to know I was still mad at him but here on this cliff I was happy to sit next to him, to get enough of him that I could continue to be righteously angry.

I realized vaguely, as night time fell across the sky, that today would be one of the laters, not the sooners. And he did come, eventually when the stars were peeking out in the dark, not held back by the lights of humans.

He was gorgeous. As always but even more so. Halfheartedly I suspect it was one of his strategies to woo me. He had changed his clothes, to dark tones, to match his white skin and golden eyes. He looked at me so piercingly, like every bit of me was within his sight just from that one look. It made me speechless, and trapped my eyes from moving when my own golden eyes connected with his.

But what really got me, besides him being Jasper, was that he'd changed his hair. It was breath taking. I knew that I had a thing for his hair before, but now every time I saw his hair I felt like I would take him right then, it didn't matter where we were. It could be here at this cliff or in the school yard when I go to school. Legally, it turns out, I cannot graduate early. So I have to do office work and library work for the school year, until this last semester is through. Then I get to walk down the 'aisle' with everyone else. I know I was a little sad but oh well.

Jasper's hair though…I was staring at it, right now. It was beautiful the way it laid on his head. Perfect, even more so than before when I first met him. I was almost positive that he'd changed it in an attempt to get back together with me. He never stopped, but I did love him, and I missed him every second of the day. I guess that it was almost the principal of not forgiving him that I was clutching on to now. Jasper had hurt me, and I was loath to give someone that opportunity again.

Jasper hadn't talked about what I told him, with Amenhotep. I regretted telling him ever since I had calmed down. I knew it had made him feel worse about what happened, and that was not what I want him to understand from this.

"Belle." So it would be a talking one tonight.

"Jasper…" I whispered, as he dropped to sit beside me. In his expensive looking black jeans, I was tempted to believe that Alice had taken to clothing him. That wouldn't be a surprise either. She was hot on the train of getting us back together. She brought it up every time Jasper and I were in the same room. It embarrassed me greatly.

"I heard that Edward and Bella had a fight." Jasper told me, also looking at the stars, like I had been before he had come into my line of sight. I eyed him for a second more, taking in the way the direct moonlight made his skin sparkle, lightly as it was not the sun. It was weird how that happened. It wasn't every night, and Lord knows most of the nights in Forks weren't half this clear, but it was hard. I'd gone so long without touching him.

It was hard not to touch him. I knew he could feel my emotions, and I bottled them up but when he was gone, later, I would think of how hard it was too not touch him, of how much I was reminded of that one night I had with him, and how much that one night had me begging for more. Jasper was more than just beautiful and I can't help but remember that.

"What for?" I asked him, lying down on my back, so I did not have to strain my neck. I didn't want to be a vampire at the moment. I didn't want to sparkle in the moon light and match Jasper. We weren't matching, just yet. If he kept this up, this steady gorgeousness, and the flowers, and the gifts, I won't be able to resist much longer.

"Apparently Edward disabled her spark plugs, so that she couldn't visit Jacob." Jasper's voice was so quiet, and he looked down at me. Our eyes met again and my lips parted in the desire to kiss him. I wouldn't though.

"Why would he do that?" I murmured to myself. "He's much to controlling." I said, sighing when Jasper continued to stare at me before he moved to lie beside me. I felt his cool arm brush against mine and I paused in my breathing as a flash of something sparked up my arm. It was just the mating call again. I sighed.

"Edward is only trying to look after her, even if he is doing it the wrong way." Jasper silently agreed. I looked sideways at him, without moving my head.

"I think it's only hindering him. She will only get more and more frustrated with him the more he holds her back." I looked to the sky, trying to find the stars that I had memorized. I loved astronomy. I had since I was a Pharaoh. We Egyptians believed a lot of the stars. We were also very gifted when it came to the stars. It was something that we taught our people as well, our commoners. Or did teach anyways.

"Do you ever miss the old days? From before you were changed?" I asked Jasper, turning my head to look at him. He was silent for a minute, no doubt confused as to my mood. I wasn't going to lie, I felt sad…maybe a little depressed.

"Yes…and no." Jasper told me. I set my head up on my hand. "Back in my time…well you know, you were there." Jasper turned to look at me and his eyebrows crinkled in thought. I grinned at him.

"Yeah, I was, but that doesn't answer my question." I told him.

"I miss the simple life, where I didn't have to worry about things such as technology. If everything had stayed the same as when I was living, I could have done more things than just go to high school all the time. Back then, we didn't go to school at this age, we helped on the farm. I could have been something other than a farmer, or a rancher." So he was a farmer. It doesn't surprise me. There were a lot of farmers. They weren't necessarily doing well but, I guess that was better than nothing. I'd rather him and his family had been farmers. Well, until the war broke out I suppose.

"I wasn't a farmer then. I was a merchant in a little town. I enjoyed working there. I was a woman, but I told people that I was a widower, and that my son, and husband had been killed by red coats. They were very attached to me when I told them that, so they let go of the fact I was a working woman." I told Jasper, absentmindedly. I could remember it semi-well. I had liked those humans. Especially when my 'store' had been attacked by red coats because I harbored the enemy as it was.

"Where were you?" Jasper asked me. I caught his eyes this time, and smiled at him, hesitantly. "I was in Houston, Texas." Jasper offered, probably trying to coax it out of me.

"I was in California, it was just a small town there, though now I can't imagine it as most of the places in California are rather large. It didn't have a name yet, when I left it. I was one of the first to settle there." I told him, and I flopped back down. It was quiet for a long time again before anything happened. Jasper and I continued to look at the stars.

Until I got a text message from Bella, telling me that Charlie wanted me home tonight. I was known to stay out late, but Charlie didn't say anything, only having Bella tell me when to come home. He was much too lenient on me sometimes. Although, I find it quite hilarious that as old as I am, I've mastered texting and Charlie has not. I guess it is simply because I have learned to adapt.

Life goes on; as it has these last few whenevers since the Cullen family has come back. People at school were completely dumb founded. Bella and I were graduating this year and there was a bunch of hype about it. I was in the office helping them, but really they didn't have much to do so I ended up replacing Ms. What's her face, who was playing solitaire the first day that Bella and I moved here. It was much the same. I played solitary except on the days where I brought my own laptop and then I played Sims, which was fun for so long before I grew bored with finding ways to kill off families.

It was at lunch that Alice announced something.

I didn't have lunch with Bella, and the Cullens, but because I had no _real _classes the office people looked the other way. They had seen my temper at work, once before. A kid had come in blathering on and on about how his absence was excused. After the seventh time I'd told him that I couldn't do anything about it I had stood up and screamed at him to either get an excuse or leave. In less polite words I suppose.

It had amazed me at the speed that Jasper had showed up to comfort me. I knew he had a class with Alice, and she had probably seen it coming. Jasper and I had spent an entire block talking, getting to know more and more about our past. I've told Jasper a lot of things, keeping it light though. I didn't want to give too much about my real personal life. I didn't want to scare him away…is that selfish of me, to want to keep him close, but not to give him all of me?

He consumed most of my thoughts now, and it was slowly getting worse. A side effect of living with him in reach, but without him at the same time I think. I wasn't sure though. I was sure that I was tired of living without him. I'd forgive him soon. He has long sense learnt his lesson, and paid the price for breaking my heart. I didn't want it to be stupid though. I didn't want to just forgive him.

I wanted to show him that none of his gifts, or his comfort had gone to waste and I did want to love him, really for all of eternity. I just…I didn't know how. I think that's what this was about. I was scared to love Jasper. I've never loved anyone before and _never _this much at once for one person. It was like heaven was being waved in my face but all of my insecurities were trying to drag me down from reaching it.

As it is now I sat with Edward and Bella as we sat with Angela, Eric, Mike, and Jessica. It was normal now for us to sit with them. There were even two seats between Edward and I so that Jasper and Alice could sit with us. It was more so I didn't have to sit next to Edward. The regular table, which we had sat with when Rose and the rest of the Cullens were with us was currently still empty, unused. It felt pretty nice to talk to Angela because for all I couldn't stand to be in Jessica and Mike's presence, Angela was still awesome. Ever since she had asked me about my necklaces I'd had a soft spot for her. Not enough to wish this life upon her, but enough that for Christmas I got her a beautiful, and expensive, necklace from a jeweler that owed me a favor or two.

"All right. Let's see, what we got." Mike started. They were trying to make a speech for Jessica; she was the valedictorian or something. I didn't understand what it was, or what it was supposed to be. All I knew was that you had to do some kind of speech at the graduation ceremony.

"My fellow students, right?" Mike started, with all of us saying good things about it, or more they did. Edward and Bella had just sat down and I was feeling better than I did last night, so I winked at Bella across Edward, turning back to Mike and nibbling on a carrot. "We are the future. Anything is possible, if you just believe." Mike finished.

"Nice." I said, snorting and elbowing Jessica who sat beside me. She had a pad of paper in front of her that she was writing her speech on and Mike had one in front of him, trying to help. Mike flipped it in front of Jessica, nodding.

"Perfect. You got yourself a speech." He said. Jessica tore out the paper still smiling at Mike but I could tell something hilarious was about to happen.

"No, this'll be my speech when I want everyone to throw diplomas at my head." Jessica threw the paper and it hit Mike in the head. "So, thank you." I snorted and leant into Jessica's shoulder when Mike didn't even flinched, only continued to stare at Jessica. It made me giggle into my hand.

"You gotta embrace clichés Jess." Mike finally said.

"They are the bread and butter of all valedictorians." Eric told Jessica from where he sat beside his girlfriend Angela. Angela chuckled.

"And that is why you are not valedictorian." She told Eric, pointing at her sad boyfriend. I grinned and put down my last carrot.

"She speaks the truth." I announced loudly, and Jessica giggled at me.

"Jess doesn't need clichés." Bella interjected. "The speech is going to be epic." She concluded. I grinned at Bella, throwing my carrot at her. She dodged it, pouting at me but I looked back at Jessica when she spoke again.

"Epic? It'll change lives." She sassed Bella. And just then Alice came prancing over with Jasper following at a more human pace. I grinned when Alice plopped down, extremely graceful but for a vampire it was undignified if you will. I had to take a bite of a fry when Jasper sat beside me, another torture of both Alice and Jasper's to get me to forgive him. God, his hair is delicious.

Jasper's body leant towards me, and I knew he felt my appreciation as his eyes looked at me, and then flicked to Alice when she was talking. It was for the best because I was trying my best to hold my wits about me. I've said it before but his hair, his eyes, and his smile made me melt into a radioactive puddle of Belle goo.

"I've decided to throw a party." Alice announced, cutting over anyone who was having a conversation at the table. She was looking at Bella, and I leant forward, to look at Alice in concern. The last party she'd had didn't end up very well. I didn't even get my presents! As if that was the reason I was anxious.

A wave of calm rushed over me as Jasper's back straightened, as if it could. He still sat like a soldier, straight and back. I realized that in leaning closer to Alice I was leaning to close to Jasper and I could smell him. I leant back from him, knowing my eyes to have darkened. I didn't miss the fleeting smile on Jasper's face.

"After all," Jasper spoke. I sighed, inaudible by the humans as Jasper spoke, looking at his two family members. "How many times are we gonna graduate high school?" I think a smile came to all of our faces, the humans not understanding, and Bella not thinking it was funny. No, I suppose it wouldn't be funny to her seeing as how at graduation, if she didn't agree to Edward's compromise, Carlisle or I would change her. She hadn't asked me but whenever someone brought it up her eyes would flick in my direction. She probably wouldn't say anything to me until the day of, just because she was so nervous.

"A party?" Angela asked. I turned to look at all of the humans, and went to answer but Jasper's hand decided to brush against my thigh. It sent a flutter of butterflies to fluttering in my stomach and I slammed my mouth shut. I stared at the wall over Mike's head, trying to hide the blush that took fire to my cheeks but I knew it was inevitable. He hadn't meant to, probably but when I glanced at Jasper my reaction had his eyes black and he too was staring away. Our eyes met when he glanced and he shot me a grin, as everyone was still staring at Alice. "At your place?" Angela grabbed my attention again.

"I've never seen your house." Jessica said. I think they were all a bit in shock. I chuckled and rolled my shoulders a little, trying to rid myself of this tension. I wanted nothing more than to jump Jasper right now, after all it had been a long time since I'd allowed him to even touch me that much. The cliff, that didn't count. Any kind of touch there was kind of…none existent like anything that happened there was a magical thing and was untouchable by the day.

"No one's ever seen their house." Eric told Jessica. They were all defiantly in shock because they were staring at Alice as if she had announced they owned a castle. For all they knew about the Cullens they might actually think they owned a castle. Actually…they might own a castle. I'd ask later.

"Another party Alice?" Edward was not pleased. He was staring at Alice.

"It'll be fun." Alice told Edward and Bella. I snorted, and looked away to hid my incredulousness. After the last parties horrible consequences you'd have thought Alice would have learnt from it.

"Yeah. That's what you said last time." Bella told Alice, eyeing her with a little trepidation. I couldn't blame her. Just then Alice's eyes glazed over and she turned to stare at the table, not saying a word. I turned to the humans.

"Hey, guys what do you say, will you come?" I asked them, grinning. "I swear, it won't be creepy and full of dungeons." I told them, teasing. They all looked at each other.

"I don't know when is it?" Angela asked. I glanced at Alice but her eyes were still glazed. I guess it was up to me to come up with a time.

"It'll be just after graduation, on graduation night." I told them, scouting closer to the table, flickering my eyes for something else even as Alice came out of her daze, meeting Edward's gaze. He'd seen it to, with his mind reading. And if Edward and Alice both looked this worried it could only mean one thing, Victoria.

Or something was going to happen but I figure it's going to be Victoria doing it. It has been for a long time now. She's been hanging around a lot, trying to get in through the vampires and the wolves. I've never gotten a hold of her, though I've made Charlie a little angry staying out late to patrol around for her. I'm just dying to get my hands on her. I want to rip her head from her shoulder for even believing she could hurt my family.

"I can go." Angela told me, smiling and everybody followed her.

"Hey, can I help you with that?" Bella asked to, trying to distract everyone from Alice. They soon got over Alice's weird moment and then it was just a matter of wondering what it was all about. I heard Alice whisper to Jasper and I groaned in defeat. Next I was going to be a library assistant, and Jasper had that with me. I don't know _how _they managed to get him there but they did. It looked like I wasn't going to be getting any answers unless I talked to Jasper. I don't know if I can look him straight in the face.

I don't know if I've mentioned it lately but the call to mate with Jasper was getting worse. Not just to mate with him, but to be with him. God, I wanted to be with him. I can't. My mind and heart hasn't forgiven him. Every time that I think I'm about to give in I can't do it. I can't forget Bella's broken body, or my heart hurting. It did help though that I also was starting to remember everything that Jasper has done, how much he's told me he loves me.

I startled when the bell rang. I gathered my things, my bag and the trey. I didn't say goodbye to anyone as it was kind of redundant when I would see them tomorrow and I'd only spent lunch with them. Jasper quietly nodded to Alice and Edward before following after me. I smiled at the lunch lady as I slid my trey in, and Jasper followed with his uneaten food.

"So, what was that about?" I whispered to Jasper using the excuse to lean in to him. He looked giddy, well as giddy as Jasper could look when he was surrounded by humans and their ambrosia blood.

"Alice had a vision about Victoria." Jasper said quietly. Our eyes caught and I hurriedly looked away. I was so close to him that I could smell his scent. Together we walked to the library, one of the only big buildings in the place besides the gym. I sighed when the librarian only glared at me. Please. I knew why, she had a thing for Jasper. If she wasn't all over him then she was in the back thinking about him. I couldn't help the way it made my blood boil.

"What happens?" I asked him, dropping my bag down and moving to look for the return cart. Despite the library being one of the only things that the school had going for it, it was also a place most teenagers wouldn't like. Personally I take this time to read or play on my computer, recently bought by Jasper. I think it pleased him that I was using his gifts. I still had his bracelet on my arm, though the rings were currently absent. I'd decided that it was best not to give him that hope yet. I didn't want to do to him what Bella was doing to Jake, and giving him false hope.

"Apparently she's going to be toeing the line between the wolves and us to get to Bella. We don't know much else, because Alice doesn't see the wolves." Jasper told me, following and he leant against the end of the shelves as I replaced a book, Harry Potter's Deathly Hallows. I glanced at him when he went silent and my mouth twitched into a smile as he was staring at me. I held up my next book.

"Can you put this up there?" I asked him, pointing to the top shelf. I wasn't tall enough to reach it and I wasn't going to embarrass myself with trying because God knows what I really need is to fall flat on my face in front of Jasper. When he took the book, brushing our fingers unneededly together, he raised his arms and put it up, sliding it in. My eyes lingered on the muscles I could see in his shirt and he paused, more like freezing. I realized a second to late that he had felt my rise of lust. The book dropped to the ground as he turned and our gazes met.

His eyes were onyx and I felt my own darken and a growl ripped from his throat. One moment he was standing there and the next I was in his strong, cold arms with his delicious lips pressed firmly against mine. I was frozen in shock and Jasper released me, backing away hastily but all I could feel were his lips against mine and my brain wouldn't function right. It felt so _right _to be in his arms.

I knew my own eyes, if they weren't before, were now a dark color though I was still human. My contacts wouldn't be able to hide the hunger I felt as I looked Jasper up and down as he stood, tense watching me.

"I apologize." Jasper whispered, his voice hoarse and his southern drawl came out particularly slowly. I wanted to gulp and hide my lust but his jaw tightened and I knew I wasn't doing a good job. "It's just…" Jasper muttered and I caught his eyes. "I miss you." He told me softly, taking a step closer to me. I took one back. My head was so full of Jasper that it hurt.

"I….I…can't." My voice broke and my hands fluttered about me. I didn't know what to do any more. Most of me wanted to attack him right then, but I couldn't bring myself to do it because my stupid heart still ached.

"**It's an illusion, Belle!"**

I shuddered. Jasper looked so heartbroken and he looked away from me but I could see the pain there. I didn't know what to do. Every time I looked at him something kept me back from giving in to him and loving him again.

"I'm sorry, about what I said." Jasper told me, but he still wasn't looking at me. It didn't matter. I could hear the soft broken part of Jasper that I'd created. It hurt me more to know I was still hurting him and some part of me wouldn't let me forgive Jasper. I was so afraid that he would ruin me. "I didn't mean any of it; I just didn't want to be separated from you." Jasper took a step back and I grimaced. I didn't want him to leave on these terms. I just couldn't. Why didn't he understand that?

"Jasper, I-" My voice cut off when he looked at me, his expression closed off so I couldn't tell what he was thinking. I wanted to panic so bad. Jasper never shut his emotions off, not in front of me. He was never like this but his handsome face was blank of all emotion.

"I know I've been an ass for smothering you. I just miss holding you and loving you. I don't _mean _to pressure you into anything. I got caught up in the emotion for a moment. It won't happen again." Jasper told me and I flinched when he turned and walked away. I was left speechless and I groaned when I heard the slam of the library door. I had done it again. I'd hurt Jasper's feelings. I couldn't keep this up much longer. I don't think I can stop my heart from loving him, and I can't stand to see him in so much pain.

Why couldn't I forgive him?

My back was against the bookshelf and I slid down to the floor, shuttering at all of the memories of my Jasper. I wanted to forgive, and I wanted to hold him but every time I was so close to doing what I desired a part of me always told me not to, the part that remembered that fight. Why couldn't I let go of that time? I didn't know. Nothing was making sense to me anymore. To think that just years before I knew Bella my life was so boring and nonchalant, as if the world was just spinning a long and I was just riding along as if I had nothing to do.

Eventually I rose from my place on the floor and numbly did my library duties until I was let out for the end of school. I couldn't for the life of me pay attention to much as I went to my car and got in. It wouldn't matter I suppose because as I sat in my car, and everyone else chattered on by themselves, completely oblivious to me sitting in my Lamborghini just staring at the steering wheel.

"**Belle, we are all leaving."**

"…**I agree."**

It hurt. I don't think forgiving him is an option right now. I couldn't get over the memories that sprung up at every turn. I don't know why this is happening now. It didn't happen when he wasn't here and now that he's back it's like I can't look at him without seeing it. I wanted so god fucking badly to forgive him. Excuse my language.

I sighed and started my car. There is no telling the lengths at which Edward would go to so as to keep that vision from Bella. Not that it would matter because Bella barely even talked to me, really. Edward was all she ever thought about any more. I don't know that I could blame her, after all they were mated. Maybe not officially, with a bite, or anything but it all meant something. She obviously can't live without him or him without her.

My hand came off the steering wheel for a second as I brushed the bite on my neck, cupping it where it was at the joint of my neck and shoulder. I could remember Jasper, in the height of passion marking me as his own.

I also remember marking him. He'd dry sobbed, being so happy.

"I finally have a mark I can be proud of."

I looked at the road, my heart sinking. Just remembering that…every moment I've ever had with Jasper, how sweet the man was and how happy he'd been when I didn't care about the scars…How could I not love him?

But how could I not be scared that he'd break me?

I was already so broken. I know that I try to hide it, the parts of me that are broken. When I flinch when Emmett growls, or when Jasper is talking with Alice and I can't keep my eyes off of him. Amenhotep took a lot from me. I'll never be able to forgive his ghost for taking the ability to trust my Major with my heart, of always thinking that something bad was going to happen. And now that it has my heart can't take it because on some weird level, it felt like Jasper was going to pull an Amenhotep on me. No, Jasper would never force me into something. Today was clear enough.

What I knew was at one point I'd been on the edge of loving the man Amenhotep had been, before the power had gone to his head. Before _she _had gone to his head.

My phone rang and I blinked rapidly, picking it up carelessly.

"If you don't pay attention you'll hit the oncoming eighteen wheeler." Alice's voice muttered to me. I sighed and pulled onto a back road, to avoid said eighteen wheeler. I was still depressed and I slightly didn't even care that I would have hit the trucker. I was so tired, and thirsty. I should hunt soon.

"Thanks Alice." I told her softly, keeping my mind at least half on the road ahead of me.

"Things will get better, Belle. You'll see." Alice, the cryptic little pixie told me. "Edward is taking care of Bella for this weekend. Edward and Bella are going to be going to see her mother. You'll be staying, under the guise of wanting to spend time with Charlie." Alice informed me. I rolled my eyes.

"What, Edward didn't think I might like to see my mother?" I smarmily asked, pulling out back onto the main road and turning left, so that I could get back home. Charlie and Bella would probably be home soon anyways if this was going by anything. I didn't work, like Bella did now at the Newton's but that didn't mean anything tonight. Bella apparently would spend the evening packing for Renee's and I would spend it sulking in my room. Again.

"It was Bella's idea, actually." Alice said, having paused to see how I would take the news.

"Of course she would." I answered. I knew that I wasn't subtle in my hatred for Edward but it didn't matter to me, as long as they knew I wasn't angry at them, meaning the Cullens. None of them had agreed to it. I couldn't fault the Cullen family members who had not agreed to it. And on some part, even though she had agreed, I understood Rosalie's position. But, I was still a little pissed that Edward was determined to point her against me.

"It'll happen tomorrow by the way, in the evening." Alice told me, her voice lightening. I could only guess that someone she didn't want to hear our conversation had stepped into hearing distance. I sighed.

"I'll be there. Have you found anything out about Seattle?" I asked her, pulling into my driveway and turning off my car. Charlie and I parked on the driveway, while Bella parked on the street. I got my bag out of the passenger side, getting up and going inside. They weren't here yet, but I could hear Charlie and Bella down the road. Edward had driven her to school, so her monster was still parked out front.

"I'm monitoring as best I can but there have been no decisions, with us just waiting." Alice seemed frustrated. I don't think she liked her visions being so useless. First she couldn't see around the wolves, and now she couldn't even tell what was going to happen with the newborns down in Seattle.

"Don't worry so much Alice. You'll see it in enough time." I comforted her.

"I hope so." Alice muttered. I heard Bella and Charlie parking. I now stood inside the house, in my room. I combed my fingers through my hair. "He's worried about you, you know that right?" Alice muttered quietly. "We all are." I flinched and looked out the window. I knew who she was speaking of, Jasper. She always spoke of him. I know that to Alice he was like her brother and to see him so hurt was hurting her.

"I know Alice. I just can't force my heart to do something." I told her just as softly. I wondered if the phone even picked it up. "I've got to go, Alice. I'll see you tomorrow." I shut the phone after hearing her own good bye. It was hard to talk to someone about my time with Jasper, but I figure the little pixie who tried to know everything was as good as anyone. Plus, Alice would always keep my best interests at heart even when she was meddling in my love life.

I didn't speak to Bella and Charlie that much. Bella told me she was leaving and with Edward but for the life of me I couldn't find it in me to care. What could I do about it besides complain? If I even tried to make her guilty about not wanting me to go it wouldn't make any sense. It's well known I don't like Renee. I guess I need to start worrying about whether or not people can tell if I hate them. Maybe some other day I can work on getting these emotions in check but for now I'll settle with a little bit less.

Charlie managed to coax me down to eat before I turned in for the night. It didn't cross my mind to really do anything other than to go back upstairs and lie down. It wasn't as if I really wanted to spend time with Charlie. Soon I would have to leave him, because Bella would be changed. He would be looking for her and I don't think I could stand to be near him when he couldn't find her. He'd no doubt blame the Cullens for her leaving, especially if they leave at the same time. They would probably stay around town for a little bit, and then they would leave.

Where did that leave me?

**So what do you think about the first chapter? **

**It's thirteen pages. There are only eleven chapters in this story, but I think it's going to be pretty good. A lot of the chapters are long because I wrote most of them one after the other. The last few chapters are kind of choppy but I like them. Oh well. I hope they are up to your standards. **

**And maybe you won't be to mad at me about her not forgiving Jasper. I feel she's made the better decision, because betraying Belle like he did just can't be forgiven because she isn't Bella and so she doesn't forgive him like she does Edward.**


	2. An Empty Feeling

We all stood in the woods. It was cold out but I couldn't feel it. I was a vampire at the moment and standing amongst the Cullens in Forks' forest. I wasn't completely sure where we were but I knew we were in between the back of Forks and the Quileute lands, facing the water. I could tell because the cold wind was blowing the smell of water to us. No one was moving. We stood with everyone watching one of the directions.

Alice stood in front, having found this place. Apparently she'd been studying her vision and she was sure that this was the place that it happened at. Emmett and Rosalie faced off to the side, making sure that we weren't ambushed on that side, while Carlisle and Jasper watched the other way. Esme and I were left to watch the back, but it had been almost an hour, and we weren't sure when it was going to happen.

I glanced at Jasper. We had spoken, but it was as if nothing had happened in the library, or ever really. It hurt to see him act as if I was a friend but I knew I shouldn't have expected anything out of him. With the way I had been acting I didn't suppose that I had to right to even love him anymore. Jasper deserved better than me even if I was to selfish to let him go. I glanced back at Alice.

She was keeping her head in her vision for now, to make sure that Victoria didn't slip through our grasp. I was desperate to get Victoria within my grasp but I was very against the Cullens seeing me fighting. While I'd ripped James' head from his shoulders it had been nothing compared to what I'd learned in the Egyptian Wars. I know that most vampires are not old enough to remember the Egyptian wars, or maybe even heard of it but they were terrifying. Being at the forefront of them I couldn't claim any kind of innocence. I've never really forgiven myself for what happened to me during those days. I couldn't blame anyone about it either, since there were only a few of us alive still.

"Are you sure this is where you saw her?" Carlisle asked, and I stared at him while I came out of my reverie. I took a step closer to Alice, but I was already standing beside her. Jasper walked up to look at her to, as if a sign would be given with a twitch of her face. It must not be just me that was anxious now. Of course with how severe my feelings are right now I wouldn't be surprised if Jasper was high off of my own anxiety.

"She's almost here." Alice's voice was breathless and I squeezed her arm in comfort while I tried to ignore the scent of Jasper that came from my right when the wind started up again. If he wasn't going to speak to me then dammit I wasn't going to speak with him either. I mean what real choice did I have? I was in between a rock and a hard place right now and I wasn't going to make it worse by being a child.

For another long moment we didn't move. The Cullens and I only continued to glance around with our eyes and the more we stood there the tenser we became. I was starting to believe that we would petrify in our spot standing there. It wouldn't be too far of a stretch as we weren't moving at all. Then Alice took in a sharp breath, the sign that impending doom is coming most of the time. I have really started to hate that little gasp she does when a vision comes on because there is always something bad afterwards.

"To your left!" She shouted. No one waited for any other kind of direction. We didn't have to. As soon as we broke through the brush and through the trees we could see the flash of her unwashed red hair. I wasn't the fastest but I was nowhere near the slowest. Being in the middle of the pack, behind Emmett and Rosalie who were ahead of me. Carlisle was behind me and my senses where on high alert, so much so that I had to remind myself that these people were not my enemies.

We raced through the woods, dodging the trees, and jumping over logs to get to her but she was nimble and fast. She had already realized that something was wrong when she'd gotten closer to where we were standing so she had a few feet in head start but Emmett was close on her tail. I pumped my feet fast to try and catch up to Victoria but with all the trees in the way and trying to focus on not attacking my allies I was not the first to get to her.

Emmett got close enough to put a hand on her but as soon as he did he was slung off, his loose grip breakable. I grunted as he was slung into me and we both hit a tree, and then the ground. Together we rose, hissing. We wasted no time in apologizes only speeding off again to try and catch her. I arrived just in time to come back to a hault with Emmett as Victoria jumped over a river, and when she did she slipped over the treaty line.

I skidded to a stop, knowing I couldn't go over as a vampire. There was only one time that I had been allowed to be a vampire in the packs presence and that had been as Jacob was turning. I figured they only let me go then because I'd helped them. Even if they did like me they were made to protect their people.

In this instance though, I felt they were being overprotective. If we didn't kill this woman now we were going to lose our chance to take her out and there would be no good thing to come out of this.

"Wait." Carlisle stopped Emmett, and others, from propelling over the river in his frenzy to get to the red head that was now staring at us from over the river. "She's in their territory." He needlessly said. I watched as she started speeding down the other side of the river and together we took off, following her on our side of the river. I snarled and pushed myself.

"She'll get away!" Esme announced to all of us.

"No, she won't." Jasper snarled and I glanced over at him and then back at Victoria when I started hearing snarls. The pack was here now to help. It would be tense, and if Victoria had the mind to rid the exact steps of the river, then none of us could get to her. Though I think we wouldn't object to the _wolves _coming over on our side to get her. My feet hit rock as the forest started turning into bigger cliffs. Victoria suddenly jumped over the river, just in time to avoid one of the wolf's jaws. We were too far behind to catch her as she dived a little back in to the forest in what I was sure was an attempt to get out of the wolves sight.

She sacrificed her momentum and the one closest to her, Jasper, used a tree to dive at her, but she twirled at the last minute in the air and he missed her. I snarled again as he landed face first. I was the next in line to get her, with Carlisle and Emmett behind me, Esme and Rosalie being the slowest in our group. I was forced to come to a halt again as Victoria jumped over the treaty line. I sneered at her form but then Esme screamed out behind me and I turned in shock.

"Emmett, no!" Esme was too late, and so was I. Emmett went barreling past me, forcing me back a step so he wouldn't hit me over the line as well. I screamed out as he was collided with midair by what I was sure was Paul. Emmett backed up as we watched. Paul snarled at him and prepared to make another leap at him but I dove in front of Emmett in the water. I put my hands up and pushed Emmett back with my back. Paul growled at Emmett, moving to try and get around me.

"It was a mistake." I growled at Paul. "He didn't mean it." I turned, unconcerned and instead took Emmett by the ear, pulling him back to the family over the treaty line. Victoria was lost; I couldn't even see her hair anymore. The pack was too concerned with keeping us off of the reservation and we were too concerned with staying off the reservation, and now Victoria knew that. As soon as I had him over the line again all of us took off the other way, trying not to bring on more of the packs anger by staying there longer. I released Emmett's ear before we started running but I made sure that he stayed ahead of me. Following them to the Cullen house was probably the best idea I could think of right now because I was still high on adrenaline, and anger that we had lost Victoria.

As soon as I stepped into the door of the Cullen house I let out a breath and ran my fingers through my loose hair. I should have put it up before we even went out there. Both Esme and Rosalie had but I'd thought nothing of my hair. Now there were twigs and dirt in it and all over me from when I'd been slammed into Emmett. Charlie of course thought I was staying over with Alice and Rose but right now I felt like just slamming everyone against the wall and screaming but that was most likely the rage.

The moment we were all in the living room, or as I like to call it the meeting room, Rosalie was all over Emmett, trying to make sure that he was okay. I grimaced and rolled my neck, moving a few feet away from where I'd been standing next to the man so I could flop down on the couch. I was trying my best to control my emotions, so my adrenaline would go away but it was getting harder and harder the more combat that I saw. I shook my head at that thought alone. I really needed to feed if it was coming to this.

"What were you thinking, Emmett?" Esme asked, more like shouted. Carlisle put his arm around her shoulders to try and calm her down and she buried her face in his chest in comfort. I don't blame her for worrying, she was their adoptive mother and I could only imagine the fear she'd felt at watching him collide with Paul.

"I was thinking we would get her, if that mutt hadn't interfered." Emmett growled at the window, not at Esme. I could see the fury in his voice and the anger in his body. He had very much wanted to kill Paul in that moment, I was sure. What Paul did was stupid; cutting off any vampire mid hunt is stupid. Next time I go over there I should probably make sure that they know that.

"That's Paul." I told them in general and they all turned to me, only now realizing I was there I suppose. I was almost hidden on the couch as everyone else was standing. "He's got anger issues. Had it been anyone else, or the ones I know, you might have gotten to her. Maybe. I doubt it." I rethought it. No they'd probably have all taken a swing at him, but Paul was the worst one that Emmett could have run into because he absolutely hates the Cullens.

"You know them?" Jasper asked of me and they were all staring at me. I blinked.

"Yes." I said slowly and then I realized that they had no idea what had gone down while they were gone. "When all of you were…away so to speak, and Bella started hanging out with Jacob Black, I wanted to protect her. So I made a bargain with them. With so much time spent together we became friends." I told them the short version, not telling them I'd been practically put on a leash and that I couldn't change on their land. That would probably not go over well with them. Plus I found it unnecessary to mention these qualities at least at the moment.

"That explains a lot." Alice muttered, her eyes glazing over as she tried to see my future. I rolled my eyes and sat up, then standing up so I wouldn't feel so left out.

"It doesn't matter." Carlisle sighed, looking at all of us as we stood in a circle. "There's nothing more we can do tonight. Belle, could you get ahold of the pack and make sure that the treaty is still intact?" Carlisle asked me.

"Sure." I agreed, ruffling my hair. "Someone should get ahold of Edward and Bella to, so that they know what happened." I told them, pulling out my cellphone that had been packed into my back pocket. These jeans that I wore were tight around me, and my shirt was covered with a black jacket. We'd all worn black today so as not to be seen by Victoria until the last moment. When they all started looking uncomfortable and nervous, not looking me in the eyes I got suspicious.

"Edward hasn't told Bella." Rosalie said, in her harsh, and blunt manner. My eyes narrowed and I hissed.

"Is he stupid?" My voice rose a few octaves. "Are you all just stupid? She's going to find out. Why would you even keep it from her? There is nothing bad about this." I demanded and they all took a step back. I imagine that I was not a very composed vampire right now and their instincts were blaring at them to get away from me. I was fuming.

"It's not our call, its Edward's." Alice told me, looking at me cautiously. I turned exasperated.

"I don't understand why you all bend to Edward's word, it's not like he can tell you what to do. Bella is her own person, and she'd want to know." I announced and then I took a deep breath. Jasper went to speak, probably trying to calm me down but I stopped him with a hand up. "You know what, I don't even care. I'm going hunting, I'll see you guys Monday." I told them, darting out of the room with vampire speed and heading for the woods. I was in no state to trade blows with them and really, most of my anger was for not catching Victoria. I was just angry in general right now and if I stayed in there one more moment I wouldn't last without attacking someone.

On one hand I kind of felt bad for yelling at them, and I'd probably apologize later, but for now I was still angry that everyone was indeed bending to Edward as if he knew everything. The boy was barely over a hundred years old, so what if he could read minds? I doubt he did know everything and even if Bella was his mate, she deserved to know. I don't know where he got all of this, lying to her to protect her but it was pathetic. I half suspect he's only doing it to make sure that she won't leave him.

But it wasn't my decision either, whether she stayed with him, or whether they all told her things. It was theirs and if I demanded they tell her things, I wouldn't be any better than Edward because then I would just be making them chose between Edward and my way of dealing with Bella. Even if I don't agree with what they are doing, I'll have to live with it because in the end it wasn't my decision.

I didn't hunt, because I didn't feel like it. I never felt like it any more. Instead I managed to make it back to Charlie's and climb into my window. I called Alice, and was going to tell her to send my apology out to the rest of the people in the house but in true Alice fashion she had already told them. Plus, I'm sure they could hear me over the phone.

"Don't worry, no one is mad at you Belle." She'd quipped and then we'd hung up like nothing happened. I swear I need to buy that pixie something later. She sure knew how to make someone feel better. None the less when Charlie stumbled in my room, after I stubbed my toe, and asked me why I was home again I told him a family emergency with the Cullen family made me think it was better to stay home. He didn't ask questions, just returned to his room and passed out. I'd been glad to have the foresight to change back to my human self before bathing.

Then I just dropped into my bed, determined to call the pack tomorrow.

As it would have it, I didn't manage to call the pack because they managed to get me. In the morning, I planned to call them after I nibbled on something for breakfast but then I got the bright idea that I would go over there instead, to make amends in person. My car wouldn't start. My very expensive car that I loved very much wouldn't start and I didn't know a thing about the insides of cars. There was no way that I was calling Rosalie over here, because if she comes over so will Emmett and I'll be laughed at and teased until no end.

I was now standing in the garage area thing, and staring at the inside of my car. I was just hoping that if I stared long enough that something would come to me. I was having no luck what so ever. "What is this fuckery?" I muttered, leaning over the shining pieces of engine. It was only a year old, I think, so most of it seemed new but as far as I could tell nothing was broken, nothing was leaking or anything so I didn't understand what was wrong with the car. I didn't trust anyone here with my baby either, especially the only car shop here in Forks. He overpriced his services and I'd seen a car he'd worked on break down the next day. Mike had nearly cried when Jessica had to take him home.

"Having problems?" A rough, and familiar voice asked. I jumped and looked up. There Paul stood, in all of his glory, grinning at me with his hip nonchalantly placed on the edge of my car. It was as if he hadn't attacked Emmett last night and he was just over here to say hi or something. I let out a breath I hadn't even realized I was holding. It was as if a weight had been lifted from my heart, not just my shoulders.

"You could say that." I amusedly said, backing up as he moved to look at it himself. He was, of course, shirtless and had only jeans on but I was surprised he had even that on. Usually it was shorts and shoes if he felt like it. Now he had on a button up, but it was unbuttoned and jeans, and even shoes. I had no doubt that he'd been doing something in public before he came here because there was no way that he'd put on clothes just to come see me.

"What's with the clothes?" I blurted out and only after I said it did I realize the way that he'd take it. He looked up from where he was leant over the car pieces, and wiggled his eyebrows at me.

"What, you dying to see my good looking body?" Paul teased. I rolled my eyes and sighed in exasperation.

"Please, I've seen better bodies on slaves." I told him, pushing his shoulder. He laughed and shook his head. To anyone else, that would seem offensive but to Paul it made since. Paul knew I was old, and that I didn't believe in slavery anymore. It was one of the topics he'd brought up, along with the whole, Americanization of the Indians and on what side I was on. Paul and I really liked to have deep conversations…sometimes.

"Don't deny, you like my body." Paul grinned at me, and reached his arm into some part of the engine that I couldn't have possibly told you what was. "It's probably better than your bloodsuckers." And there's the real Paul there. I snorted and leaned back on my open car door.

"Please, Jasper's body is better than yours could ever be." I starkly told him. He looked up at me, sobering. "Why are you here, Paul?" I asked him, sighing. I didn't want him to go on another 'he's not good for you' rage, where I would once again have to remind him that I am a vampire as well and if he wants to hate on them then he might as well hate on me to.

"The pack sent me over to tell you there were no hard feelings." Paul told me. I stared at him for an incredulous second and he grinned at me, slowly. "All right, we've just come to tell you that we aren't going to bite you and your precious family in half." Paul rephrased for me.

"That's what I thought." I told him, hitting his shoulder. He laughed at me, and then I heard a clunk in my engine. "What did you do?" I demanded, moving forward to eye my engine but I couldn't see anything different. Paul snorted at my concern and instead went to my car, turning the key in the ignition and I grinned when the car started.

"Fixed your car." Paul answered me, stepping out of my car. I flew at him, hugging him tightly. I was startled when his strong arms came around me and he squeezed me to him. I began to feel awkward when he didn't release me. Right when I was about to say something he dropped me and grinned.

"Thanks, Paul." I told him, still smiling. "It's nice to know that I have at least one mechanically incline friend." I moved back to my car, pulling the hood back down. "I was actually thinking that I'd have to buy another one for a second there." I locked the hood into place, moving to turn the car back off for a second.

"You not leaving?" Paul inquired.

"Well, I was going to go over to the reservation, so that I could make sure you guys weren't going to kill us for Emmett." I told him, leaning my arm onto the car's top. "It's kind of irrelevant now."

"You could still come over, the guys and I've missed you." Paul told me, and I could see the hesitation in his voice but he sounded so sincere. It made me confused because I was almost positive that I wasn't welcome onto the reservation anymore.

"I didn't want you guys to feel awkward with the Cullens being back." I told him, eyeing him.

"Na, we promise not to kill you too badly." Paul snarked. I rolled my eyes in amusement.

"Please, you couldn't kill me if you tried, mutt." I mock insulted, opening my car door. "Jump in, I'll give you a ride back over." I told Paul, sliding into my car. Paul did as asked. I didn't even think to ask if he had a ride or not already. I suppose I'd really just gotten used to the pack always running everywhere. Sam is the only one I remember even having a truck the last time I was there. Jacob had the motorcycles that he and Bella had rebuilt, though I'm sure all of the credit for that goes to Jacob since Bella is as inept at vehicles as I am. He had the rabbit to if I think about it but I don't count that as a car because I wasn't even sure he'd even finished making it. Huh, I could've called Jacob.

Paul and I talked to each other the whole way to La Push. Nothing important, or over exciting. I didn't want to ruin this moment, and I guess Paul was waiting to get to the important things when we arrived at Emily's house, which is where Paul pointed me.

"You know, they've been worried about you too." Paul told me randomly as we were arriving on the road to Emily's house. "Emily's been asking for you."

"Well, you guys had my number." I teased Paul, parking in front of Emily's house.

"We weren't sure that you'd want to hear from us now that _they _are back." Paul muttered the last part in disdain. I didn't even bother to get mad at him. I kind of knew that no matter what the Cullens did the pack would always have something against them. They were to prejudice against them to do anything but that. And seeing as how that's coming from me I believe it means something.

"I would have liked to hear from everyone. Every time I went over there I felt…like I didn't belong." I confessed slowly. I didn't want to offend Paul, and I also didn't want to make him explode in my car. I was a little cautious telling him anything. I guess those are the consequences from treating me like he had. Really, blaming them wasn't really an option. Bothering with me when they had so many things to deal with wasn't an option either. Honestly with all of the things going on I kind of felt like a side show, like nothing I did really mattered and I wasn't important.

"Hey," Paul looked at me, his eyes narrowed. I blinked, realizing that my eyes were getting watery. I sighed and ran a hand through my hair. "We didn't know you felt like that." Paul muttered, looking me over and reaching one of his burning hands out to touch my cheek but I opened the door and got out.

Closing my door I forced myself to be happier, jumping up the steps and into the house. It was just like I remembered it and I smiled nostalgically when I saw Emily running around the kitchen trying to cook so much food for the wolves. God they ate a lot. I mean I couldn't understand how they ate so much and still felt hungry. Logically I knew it was because of what they are, and that they have to eat a lot because of their metabolism but still, it's kind of disgusting.

I've seen them eat practically an entire cow while ingesting a field of potatoes. When Emily put a plate of homemade fries on the counter, I made Paul stay quiet, from where he'd opened his mouth, about to say something, and I snuck around the counter and then I struck a pose, where I would look scary. Emily turned back around, holding a pan and a spatula and screamed bloody murder when she saw me standing there, my hair in my face and my eyes glaring at her. As she fell, I grabbed the pan, and the spatula, while Paul got Emily, scaring her again.

Paul and I were howling with laughter while Emily was staring at us trying to regain her breath. I barely even felt the burn of the hot pan on my hand. I grinned and dropped it onto the stove, shaking my hand. Oh, it was defiantly burnt but I couldn't feel it. It had been so long since the last time I'd laughed that much that it felt awesome and over rid the pain.

"God, you two!" Emily was shaking and laughing now to. It probably wasn't often that she was surprised since the wolves were very loud at all times. I'd been surprised that I hadn't heard them coming when I we had been chasing Victoria. Had it been at any other time, when I wasn't chasing after a rogue vampire, I might have heard them, or maybe they are just silent when they are wolves. Usually my senses are in overdrive when it comes to fighting but it's been so long that I guess I just didn't notice them.

I shook my hand to cool it down and helped Emily to stand. I gave Paul a high five over her head as she started to rant on and on about our lack of care. Though I was careful that my hand didn't come into sight. While the sight didn't bother me, and I'm sure the reason that I couldn't feel it was because I'd just burnt my nerves raw. I would be affected, if real blood ran through my veins but all I had in my system was venom and animal blood. Together I wouldn't have to worry for the wound. It should heal well given time.

When they were looking away, Paul trying to steal some of the food, and Emily slapping his hand, I grabbed a rag and wrapped it around the disgusting sight of my palm. Maybe it hadn't been a good idea to scare Emily with something so hot in my hand, but really I needed a good laugh. It's fine as long as no one sees it.

"Oh, lighten up Emily, it was just some fun." I laughed, tying off the rag and grinning at her. She huffed and puffed, putting more food on the table. "When is the pack coming in?" I asked Paul and he grinned crookedly at me.

"They should be here soon. I'd bet at any moment. We were supposed to discuss the red head." Paul told me, sticking a fry in his mouth. I picked my own fry up, nearly rolling my eyes back into my head at the wonderfully greasy taste. I could eat this stuff for breakfast lunch and dinner.

"I won't have any of the pack business interfering with Belle's visit." Emily nearly shouted, her eyes daring Paul to say something as she moved back to the stove with the pan. I grinned and sat down at the table. Emily was so worried that I was going to leave again. It restored a little bit of my self-esteem to know that I was really wanted here at the pack's one place of normalcy. This is the one place that the pack can be themselves, where they can get angry and no one will really get hurt. After all there have a pack that can watch their back. I suppose that would be nice, to have someone to watch your back for you.

"Don't worry Emily; I don't have any problem with them discussing Victoria." I told her, waving off her concerns half-heartedly. I really didn't mind them discussing it. In fact I'd like to see what they were going to do, because I could plan my own attack around theirs. And maybe, if I could step over the line without fear of being attacked, I could get Victoria. Of course, I'd have to watch myself because the Cullens might assume that if I can do it, then so can they. Which would be just my luck that they get themselves killed following my example because lord knows it'll all be blamed upon me.

I cautiously turned toward the door as I heard the loud noise of the pack coming to the house. I wonder if they'll be as receptive to me as Emily and Paul were. I was always close to these to but that doesn't mean that everyone else will like me. Sam might have to like me, seeing as his imprint liked me but the others wouldn't. Kim might like me as well so that could be better. I wonder how Kim is now.

Sam was the first one through the door, being the alpha and he froze, looking at me. I smiled at him, waiting for the boy's reaction. It's not every day that you come home to a vampire being in the same room as your mate.

**I'm so happy that this has gotten such a good response! I mean that this is awesome! I had so many people follow me or my story and I am so happy!**


	3. An Orange

All though my suspicions were completely relevant, they were of course blown out of the water the minute Sam got over his shock. He almost attacked me with hugs and laughing. I was pulled out of my chair and practically passed around the pack before I was placed on my feet in front of the new members, the ones that I had been absent for. Leah and Seth.

I had hadn't seen them since their father's death. I guess I should have expected this. Charlie had been saying that Leah and Seth were taking days off of school to deal with Harry's death. It should make sense to me that it was just an excuse. I mean, what can I really believe any more? Leah looked skinny now, not that she had been fat before but now she had muscles. Her black hair was cut short, where before it had been long, and she looked just as sour to the world as she'd been sad the last time I'd seen her. I wondered if she blamed me for her changing.

After all, they changed because we were near them, or so it was theorized. I kind of believed it to so I would be angry at me if I was her. And for this time I was right. Leah snarled in my face and ran out the door, her body shaking. I sighed and shrugged my shoulders, turning to the other Clearwater.

"Sorry about her, she's still…." Seth's voice led off. The boy was still short, but for fifteen I didn't suspect anything less. He came with the usual pack haircut, and his muscles were bulging out of his arms. He had a certain charm to him though, kind of like Jacob's. He was an easy going person, always hyper and over friendly. Seth reminded me a bit of Alice except without the life ruining visions that came with her. I smirked at him.

"Don't worry about it. You'd be surprised how often that happens." I joked, holding out my hand for him. "I'm Belle Swan." I introduced as the pack gathered their food and sat down arguing and joking about Leah's reaction. It was just like being part of a family. They hadn't even made a big deal of my return. Sometimes I really wish I was a shape shifter and not a vampire, that way I could be real part of this family. But then I remember their faces.

I remember Alice's excited squeals when I let her buy me clothes, Esme's excitement over having another child, Carlisle's calm curiosity over the past, Emmett's excitement over Pokémon, Rosalie's understanding about everything, and Jasper. There were too many things about Jasper that I would miss if I was a part of the pack.

I silently took my plate from Emily, winking at her. I was still cautious to keep my bandaged hand out of the view of the pack and Emily. Seriously, I didn't want to ruin this reunion by being hurt. It wouldn't kill me, so I wasn't going to be forcefully changed, and it would heal the moment I could change.

"So, what's been going on, while I was gone?" I questioned, popping another fry in my mouth. It felt great to eat, which is new because I haven't wanted to eat in a long time. Maybe if this kept up, I'd want to drink something. Let's not get our hopes up.

The pack and I chatted through dinner, and Kim came in half way through. I had to look away when she and Jared kissed hello. A spike of pain at just someone else exchanging love ran thru me and it hurt as well to know that I was going to be this way. I felt a bit like the pack, again, because of their imprints they couldn't be with anyone. Was I never going to be able to choose anyone over Jasper? Like I'd try. I was still in love with him and it was following me everywhere, including here.

"-and ran toward Canada." Sam was telling me. Emily was sitting in his lap as we didn't have enough chairs here for everyone. Kim and Emily seemed fine with sharing seats with their imprints. I thought about maybe leaving a few bills around so that they could support their growing family. How many wolves were going to turn before we left? When were we going to leave? I sighed and used my good hand to rub over my face.

"I imagine if we would just learn to work together, we'd get her." I mussed, putting my head in my hand. They all turned to me and glared. I put my hand in the air in defense. "Really, it's not that big a deal. I can't believe how prejudiced you guys are against the Cullens, and how much they are against you." The pack was gathered still around the table, though I think Embry was half asleep all ready. They all looked tired, bags under their eyes and practically falling asleep in their chairs. I'd bet that they haven't stopped running patrol since the Cullen family came back. It wouldn't surprise me with this bunch, so paranoid that the Cullens want to kill them or kill people on the reservation.

They just grunted and grumbled. I grinned, knowing I was completely right and that they couldn't judge me.

"You don't understand, Belle, we've been taught to hate these people. It's their entire fault that we phased in the first place." Quil argued with me.

"Not really. It isn't _our_ entirefault." I intensified my importance. "If the Cullens are at fault, so am I. And I don't think we are all to blame. You don't see everyone just exploding. I think it's just your genes at work and that's why you are exploding. It's just been dormant because no vampires have come by this way. Deaths are too noticeable here in Washington." I threw in the last part half-heartedly. I was trying to make them start to see me as a vampire to. Losing them would be a cost I didn't want to pay, but putting up with them blaming the Cullen family was harder then I suspected.

"Okay, it's just creepy that you even know that." Paul complained. I rolled my eyes and sighed in exasperation as Kim glared at him for what she thought was rude. I didn't mind, it wasn't rude to me.

"Sorry, it's just something I think about. I've been around for a long time so some thoughts just kind of stick. You'll learn that quickly if you live as long as I have." I told them and Sam opened his mouth to do what I suppose was ask a question. He usually does, when something like this comes up. It reminds me that technically I was over here to help them learn more about vampires. I was probably doing a pretty poor job. I mean, I've spent years just learning to act like a normal human does. Do you know how long it took me, the first time I changed, to remember that I had to eat? People were looking at me so weirdly for it. Of course back then you kind of kept your head down and didn't talk to anyone who you hadn't known since you were a child.

Sam didn't ask his question though, snapping his mouth shut when the door opened behind me. I turned to see Leah walking back in. I couldn't tell if she was calmer now, because she still had that sour look on her face. It made me feel very uncomfortable to be around her. I didn't want to make anyone nervous with Leah in and I in the room if she didn't like me. I mean why would she like me? I was a vampire, the pack's sworn enemy. At least she realized what I was trying to get these people to. I'm a vampire and I can't really do anything about it because it'll always be there, just leaning around the corner, no matter how long I stay a human Belle.

"So the bloodsucker is still here then." Leah sneered at me, analyzing me with her eyes. I shuffled around in my seat because it was so uncomfortable to be here with her here. I needed to get home anyways. No doubt that the Cullen family will want to know what has happened, and the pack probably needed to get back to patrolling and being you know…wolves. I rose from my chair.

"Not for long." I said, glancing at the clock. We'd been talking for a long time and I bet every muscle in the Cullen family hasn't been moved since I stepped onto reservation land and my future was lost.

"You don't have to leave." Sam said, also rising, glaring at Leah. It was probably half meant for her and half for me. It wouldn't surprise me because I remember very much the tale of Leah, Sam and Emily. It wasn't a love fest in this house right now, I could just feel the anger and betrayal leaking off of Leah right now. It was a far cry from the girl who'd tackle hugged me in the hospital.

"I should get back to the Cullen family. They're probably wondering you guys are going to kill them or not." I teased and they all half grinned. I don't like the way Leah's presence suddenly had everyone down. That wasn't fair to them or her. I guess its half her fault but with all that has happened to her, I can imagine that she can't help it. I don't know how I'd have coped. Plus, to be the only female in the pack must have been hard, especially with the no clothes deal, and the whole mind reading thing.

"Well, you can come back at any time." Emily invited. I smiled, my eyes crinkling with joy. It was so nice to actually be invited back to a place.

"I might come back tomorrow, after school." I offered, glancing at Leah. "If that's all right with everyone." I watched Leah grab her plate that had been left for her by Emily. She took it and instead of walking to the table she more or less just stomped out the door and to the back porch. I wasn't a fool; I knew she'd still hear anything we had to say to her.

"Again, I'm sorry for her." Seth muttered. I knew what he was thinking. The kid was so cute and he probably figured that I'd judge him by his sister's actions. I wonder how many times this has happened to the poor guy.

"Don't sweat it, munchkin." I ruffled his short choppy hair as I jogged out of the door. Paul got up and followed after me which I wasn't very surprised with. "I'll see you guys tomorrow evening." I called after me half-heartedly. Paul walked me all the way to my car in silence before grinning at me.

"I'll see you tomorrow." Paul announced and walked back. I stared after him. Why did he walk me to my car, only to go back inside? Is there something wrong with his brain? I shrugged and got into my car, pulling out of the driveway. It was nice to see the pack again after being surrounded by this whole situation with me and Jasper. I mean, I wanted to have some time.

It blows my mind that maybe two years ago I was all about the human experience and I'd been excited about all of this happening. I was more easily going back then. I can't help but half blame this on the Cullens, like the wolves did. My instincts were coming back, and all of my vampire features were making a comeback. Before you know it I'll be slitting throats and lighting vampires on fire.

On the drive to the Cullens I called Charlie, telling him that I was going to be spending the night at the Cullens, but to tell Bella welcome home when she comes back. Charlie breathed right through it, though it didn't get by me that Jacob had gone by after I'd left. So that was where he had been while I was with Paul. Charlie said that Jacob acted weird. Come to think of it Jacob had been oddly silent the entire time I had been there. I'd chalked it up to his thing with Bella and him being uncomfortable around me about it.

I was pulling into the driveway of the Cullen house before it even hit me that maybe they might be a little worried about me. I had to slam my breaks on because Jasper was nearly feral in the middle of the driveway. I screamed in shock when he yanked my door open and pulled me out, moving his hands all over me, my hands, hips, stomach, thighs, everywhere to see if I was okay.

"Do you have any idea how worried I was?" Jasper snarled at me. I was sure to tuck my hand out of his roaming grip, and his eyes. I didn't necessarily want to add fuel to the fire that is their hate of the wolves. I was being honest before, when I said that I thought they should work together, the wolves and the Cullens. It would make a lot of stuff easier if they would just get along. Including my being a part of both families.

I tried to get out of Jasper's grip but his lips curled up in a sneer and he pulled me against him. I shuttered as we fit together and I could feel every tense muscle in his body. He buried his head into my hair and I sighed as his icy breath made goose bumps rise on my neck.

"Jasper, I'm fine. They wouldn't hurt me." I calmed him down, tangling my good hand in Jasper's hair. I was trying not to bring notice to my hand, and if I changed right now he would probably notice it. No, he'd defiantly notice it. I was frankly surprised that I'd kept it away from him thus far as it was smelling of burning flesh.

Jasper's grip only tightened on me and I sighed. It felt good to be in his arms again, even if he was being an overprotective bastard. Every piece of him matched me and even with my short height Jasper's body met mine piece for piece. The feel of his muscles against mine made me a little sad that I was so angular from lack of feeding. I should probably get on that later. I know that I've had no interest in feeding for my own sake, or even others sake but…I just can't help but not want to feed, and it's starting to get worse.

"Jasper, I do have to go inside." I commented lightly. I know he can feel my emotions, how happy I was to be in his strong arms again and it made my skin tingle and my love for him flare, but I could still hear those words he spoke to me, still hear the cutting edge in his voice, still see my sister wasting away mentally because of him and Edward.

Jasper's hands flexed and I guess he felt my agony as he released me, taking just a step back to look down at me. Our almost matching golden eyes met and he inhaled sharply at whatever he found there. I don't know what it could have been, the pain, the betrayal, or even the adoring love I still felt for him but whatever it was he nodded, and ran before my human eyes could catch it, back to what I presume was the house.

I sighed and drudged to my Lamborghini. The thing had seen better days now. There were dents from the pack, some old and some new. Emmett had put a dent in the back while he had been wrestling with Edward one night. And now Jasper's hand print was practically engraved into the side of the door, both on the handle and the door itself. I could buy a new one, because as much as I loved this one, I really wanted a different car. Not so much not a Lamborghini, but maybe a different kind of Lamborghini…

I parked in the garage and got out, twirling the keys in my good hand. I was on the hint of changing into a vampire me, when Rosalie came out the door, glaring me down. My eyes went wide as a glaring pixie found her way in front of me, angry.

"Do you have _any _idea how worried we were about you?" She screeched. I winced and took a step back.

"Jesus, Alice. I'm sorry you couldn't see me but it's no need to panic." I tried to calm her down but I think I made it worse. Alice threw her hands up and started talking to fast. I watched in amusement as Carlisle and Esme stood in the doorway, watching their little daughter rant on and on though I could see the worry in Esme's eyes. It wasn't hard to believe that Alice would panic over this. If I could see people's futures and all of a sudden I couldn't, I think that I'd panic a little bit as well.

"Alice, sweetheart." Esme gently admonished. Alice's mouth snapped shut and she paused before huffing and pulling me to her to hug me. I winced slightly as she put too much pressure on my bones and they began to ache.

"Alice." I wheezed. "Human." I gasped out. Her hands dropped me and I stumbled back, bracing my hands on my knees as I breathed in and out carefully.

"I'm so sorry!" Alice put her hands to her mouth. I waved away her concerns while I was still wheezing. My ribs were still aching but it wasn't anything major and life threatening. I stood up, taking a deep breath before grinning at the concerned vampires.

"I came to tell you that the wolves aren't going to eat you." I told them, moving on my feet. Carlisle was eyeing my ribs in concern and I just knew that his doctor senses were tingling away. I could admit that they hurt but I don't think that Alice really caused any more damage than an ache. I stood up and started walking into the house, ignoring the concerned vampires who were eyeing me. Really, the Cullens were just as bad in their prejudice as the wolves were. Where the wolves thought they would have to kill the Cullens, the Cullens believed the wolves would kill them.

It was a very weird situation to be in. I was practically walking the line between the Cullen family and the pack. It was odd and I didn't know what to do, but I knew if it came down to it I would be forced to choose the Cullen family. For all the pack has done for me, Bella and Jasper were in the Cullen family and so I would choose them. Plus, I was a vampire. I could not logically pick them over my family. I may be internally, and outwardly angry at the entire family, but really I couldn't hate them.

Speaking of Jasper. He was glowering from the doorway, trying to see if Alice had injured me with just his eyes. Jasper knew I wouldn't take kindly to being attacked again but in reality I wouldn't mind being pressed against him again; his gorgeous, blonde hair pressed into my face as he sniffed my hair was heavenly. My resolve to be mad at him was quickly weakening. I wouldn't stand a chance if he pushed me against him again, so I guess it was a good thing he didn't do it again.

I did see Jasper's eyes linger on the towel hanging on my hand but I'd covered the burn very well. I made my way through the house and to the kitchen which like everything else in this house is state of the art. I pulled open the fully stocked fridge rater and frowned at all of the food. They have completely stocked it in preparation for if Bella and I come over. I closed the door when I didn't see anything I wanted. All of the vampires were here, excluding Edward. They would be back today I think, so that Bella could come to school tomorrow. She would probably go to Charlie's house, and Edward would stay with her, parking his Volvo down the street.

I looked at the table and brightened when I saw a fruit bowl there.

"The pack chased Victoria to Canada they said. Hey let her go after that." I told them, reaching half mindedly for the orange. I stared at in my hand, looking it over. "They said she swerved a lot and she knew how to get away from them, instinctually." I looked up and they were all gathered around in the room.

"Maybe she has a gift." Emmett noted.

"Of what kind?" Esme asked curiously.

"Well she is very good at knowing when to start running away." I noted, trying to pick the orange with one hand. It wasn't working out very well and I ended up glaring at the fruit that had my little nail indentions in it. I imagine because I didn't have a lot of strength, because of the lack of feeding. Maybe I should go feed now.

"It's possible. I mean the theory that something is enhanced when we are changed could work for her as well." Carlisle accepted graciously. I tried again to peel the orange, glancing up to be a part of the conversation.

"What about the situation in Seattle. Has there been any changes?" I asked.

"No, I still haven't seen anything happening." Alice huffed, going into one of her dazes. I felt bad for Alice. She was having to watch the Volturi, Victoria, and the situation in Seattle. And on top of that I put my future in her way. I felt like maybe something would slip through the cracks because of her having to watch so much. We were all on edge here and I felt useless with no power to help out. Jasper was keeping everyone's moods up, as much as he could. Even now I could feel a current of calm in the room. Edward was protecting Bella; practically hoarding her is more like it. I could find no way to help except to make sure the wolves didn't kill everyone.

I sighed in aggravation when I still couldn't get the orange peeled and I began trying to peel it with both hands. I didn't notice my mistake until I realized that everybody had stopped talking and were staring at me. I looked up from the irritating fruit to look at them but everyone's eyes were on my hand. I glanced down and my eyes widened as I realized that the towel had ridden down and the blackened flesh was in plain sight. Before I could realize what was going on, Carlisle had moved and was unwrapping the towel from my burnt hand and Jasper was standing behind me, glaring down at the burn.

Esme was getting water and I could only guess that the good doc had given instructions. Where it hadn't hurt before, now I could feel the burn as Carlisle applied pressure to the burn.

"The nerves have been burnt through." Carlisle muttered.

"Jesus Christ, guys." I complained, trying to tug my hand out of Carlisle's grip. "It's not that big of a deal." I was unable to get away as Jasper kept me still and my heart fluttered as he was pressed against my back. "I can fix it, just stop poking at it." I jerked it away and Carlisle looked at me, while everyone who'd been gathering necessities to clean it stopped to look at me.

"You don't need to have another episode." Rose said and I looked at her in confusion. Episode? Oh, they thought that I would go on a rampage over this. Please, it's only life threatening danger.

I flinched before turning, twitching in pain as the venom of my human to vampire age change fixed my hand, burning the nerves back to life as the venom flooded my veins. I have a theory that my venom circulates faster, and in more quantities, through my veins when I change. It's a legitimate theory but I couldn't be sure.

I saw the twisted horrified look on Esme, Alice, and Jasper's face as they watched the blackened skin boil and churn before it came to my normal pale skin and the animal blood that was in my system, not very much of it, was left smeared lightly on my skin. It was a very horrific sight and the vampires who weren't looking at my hand in horror were stone faced and I could only imagine in shock.

"See, all better." I said, taking the towel from Carlisle's frozen hand and wiped the blood away. "No need to panic. I'm perfectly fine. Rampaging is only a side effect of _life _threatening situations." I moved out of Jasper's grip, or tried but he growled and kept my hand in his grip, eyeing it as if the wound would come back at any second. I allowed him to keep my hand in his grip, even though my heart, had it been beating at this time, would have been beating out of my chest. I don't know what had gotten into the Cullens, including Jasper, to make them so protective of me but it was very off putting.

"Honestly, guys I'm fine." I slowly said as every vampire in the room was still and not saying a word. They'd lost their looks of horror but I couldn't read them, all but Carlisle. He looked like a scientist would, wanting to examine me. I'd rather he did not. The idea of being under an x-ray machine, or even him just examining me as a doctor gave me a chill up my spine. Already I'd had the pack wanting to know everything about my life and I would prefer to not have to tell all of my secrets to this family. And of secrets I have many.

"If you are fine," Jasper whispered but his voice was deadly, and his eyes a coal black. "Then why was your hand black with burns." He snarled and I really started to fear that he was going feral.

"I grabbed a pan that Emily dropped, and it burnt my hand." I tried to calm him down. Hesitating for a second I dug my hand into his hair and ran my nails along his scalp. His eyes fluttered and closed. It had always calmed him down before and it seemed I did still know what he liked.

"So the wolves didn't hurt you?" Rosalie asked, or more like growled.

"No…" I said, frowning. "Really, I don't understand what the problem is. I'm fine and there is no big thing to be made out of this." I stated, scratching Jasper's scalp once more, just because I missed doing it, before I tugged myself away from him. His eyes snapped open and he blinked a few times.

"Belle," Carlisle moved forward. "We consider you a part of this family now." I couldn't quite wrap my head around that. I mean I kind of knew but it's one of those things that you don't understand it until someone puts it out there in the open. I've never really been part of a family before. I've never had a mother and father who cared, I've never even had siblings to care about me. It felt strange to possibly have that now. My heart warmed over with the feeling of joy and I smiled at Carlisle.

"Thank you." I told him sincerely. Then Jasper seemed to think of something because his eyes became dark again.

"Is the first time you've gotten hurt because of the wolves." Jasper asked me. I froze and mentally groaned. Jasper saw and felt my hesitation, and started working his gift through me so that there was no way he could be lied to. The entire Cullen family were on edge again and I wanted to cry from frustration. What was it they said, out of the frying pan and into the fire?

"No." I admitted softly. Jasper's snarl over rid Emmett's surprising one. Jasper turned, I could see him about to fly off to kill all of the wolves but I grasped onto his hand, and he froze. When he had turned back to me, the fury still in his eyes, I spoke again. "It was just an acidetn Jasper. It was his first time changing, he didn't know what he was doing and he was sick with fever." I tried to soothe.

"Who?" Emmett snarled, stepping forward as well. Family, how odd.

"It doesn't matter who, just remember it was an accident and it doesn't matter." I tried, switching my feet. "He changed and I'd been getting him out of the public eyes. His claws took off half of my head. It took me a few days to rematerialize and," I paused as Jasper's snarls were matched with a feral expression and I shot him as much of my calm as I could, allowing myself to hold his hand to keep him here. "I went on another rampage, but," I made sure they understood this point as everyone got a little angry. "The wolves kept me in the forest." I finished. Jasper was standing stock still, and the others were glancing at each other, and then Jasper.

"They had no _right _to be around you. He didn't. What could possibly get into you to do something like that?" Jasper's pained whisper said, but I didn't take offense, as I might have in a different situation.

"Jasper, I'm fine and as I keep saying it was an accident. I don't even like to talk about it, so let's…put it behind us?" I asked him, more like pleaded, stepping forward, widening my eyes. The moment he looked at me his eyes softened. I felt bad for doing what I thought was using him but if I didn't he would have killed someone.

"All right." He agreed and the entire family seemed to slump.

The dull ache in the back of my throat caught my attention. It amazed me. It had been so long since I'd felt that. I hadn't missed it but I knew that if I was hungry, then my body was starting to accept Jasper back. I know, how did I connect the two? Just knowing that my body was so angular that I wasn't fitting as perfect as I could be against Jasper made me ache. "I'm going to go feed." I said slowly. I know they must have been feeling on some level some shock. They'd been trying to get me to feed since they came back and I'd denied them at all turns.

"I'll go with you." Jasper announced as did Emmett and eventually Rosalie. I rolled my eyes at their over protectiveness. I let them have their fun though as we all hunted. I reveled in the chase, managing to take my time all night and take down enough to sate me, and then some to gain a little weight back. It worked mostly and when I was done everyone was still strewn out, and the sun was coming up.

I ran my way around the woods, not bothering to slow down as I jumped into my window at Charlie's. I could already tell that Alice had thought to drive my Lamborghini over to the house, the little pixie that she was. I half had expected Charlie to wonder what it was doing there so early when he probably thought I would have just driven on to school. I pushed the thought aside though as my feet landed on the floor of my room. I shifted again, and grabbed some clothes to go take a bath and start up my usual routine.

**I'm so happy that everyone likes this story! I almost forgot to put in the part where Jasper finds out about Jacob nearly killing her. Sorry if it seems to abruptly cut off. I didn't mean for it to but it seems to. **

**I hope you enjoy this!**


	4. An Alley

The routine stopped though, when I arrived at school, a little bit earlier than usual. I'm sure the humans were talking about me, just appearing with more weight on me. It wasn't significant to me, just a few pounds but it appears that I was skinnier then I'd thought because the few pounds that I'd gained had been noticed. I sighed and got out of my practically beat up Lamborghini and shuffled to the front of the school to sign in.

I stopped when a familiar scent betrayed my senses. I breathed in the smell of wolf and I picked up my speed to see Jacob there leaning on his bike I assumed. Jacob and I have been having little interaction lately and I felt extremely happy to hug Jacob in public, grinning up at him. Stupid tall freak.

"What's up, mutt?" I joked and he grinned down at me.

"Oh, you know the usual. Trying to take Bella from Edward." Jacob joked, moving his hand as if it wasn't anything new. He leant back on his bike and I took note of his black tight shirt and actual pants.

"You have no idea how weird it is to see you in actual clothes." I teased him, poking his bulging muscular arms.

"I couldn't just walk out in nothing. This is a school." Jacob complained, rolling his eyes. I looked over when I saw curious movement in the corner of my eyes and I could see the Cullen family watching my closely. I knew Jasper trusted me but I could also understand his concern. If I was being truthful I'd have probably demanded to go with him, if the roles were reversed that is.

"Speaking of school, why aren't you in it?" I demanded crossly. "If your grades start slipping I refuse to be responsible." I warned him. He rolled his eyes and laughed at me.

"School's not in today. It's an Indian thing." He teased right back. I groaned and looked at the school.

"If I just smeared mud on my face, can I be Indian to?" I begged, widening my eyes. Jacob barked out a laugh and I grinned. No doubt he was still depressed. And just as that thought hit me he sobered, eyeing me.

"I didn't come here for personal reasons, actually." Jacob said and then he looked over my shoulder. I looked back and saw the black Volvo that Edward drove sitting there. Edward was getting out, and Bella following soon after. I snorted. "I see she's still human." I looked back to the young wolf.

"Please, I'd have told you if he had changed her, just to see you rip Edward to pieces." I muttered, stepping to his side so that he could confront Bella and Edward like he had originally planned. I would go over to the Cullens but after yesterday I wanted some distance between Jasper and I, so he didn't think that he was off the hook. I was still very much hurting on the inside, still hearing those words over and over again.

"Hey." Bella greeted Jacob. She seemed so happy to see him and I realized that Edward hadn't even told her that I'd visited the wolves. If he hadn't, then he probably still hadn't told her about Victoria. It is so like him to control her like that, and not to make her own decisions. I just wanted to see what his head looked like grasped firmly between my hands, and disconnected from his head. I vanished the idea from my head, as it was a little bloodthirsty. No matter how much I really _really _didn't like him, I couldn't and probably wouldn't kill Edward.

"Charlie said you left town." Jacob muttered. Ah-ha so that was why he was at Charlie's house. Why didn't he bring it up while I was there? I would have told him then. Oh, he could be using this as an excuse to finally see Bella again. It's about damn time. These two have been practically playing cat mouse with each other.

"Yeah, to visit my mom." Bella said slowly, not quite grasping what Jacob was hinting at. Silly, oblivious human. Edward let out a humorless laugh as he read Jacob's intentions from his head. If he could read mine, he'd have flinched already.

"He's checking to see if you're still human." Edward told Bella. Well at least he tells her some things. Of course he would tell her something that could be changed to his side, make him look good I mean. I hope he falls into a vat of venom and dies. Does that work? How much venom would it take to fill a vat? Oh, no, focusing troubles again.

I practically felt Jacob's annoyance and I, for a moment, allowed myself to entertain the idea that I had Jasper's power. I glanced at the man and he was still standing with the Cullens and Alice, Emmett and Rosalie were talking tensely. I can only imagine that they weren't happy with Jacob being here but were avoiding starting a fight for Bella and I's sake.

"Look, I'm here to personally warn you." Jacob also avoided a larger confrontation, or should I say he switched one argument for another, more important one. If I was Jacob I'd have attacked Edward. Or likely I wouldn't. There were humans and vampires here so he'd be out numbered, and under experienced. Edward knew that the cat was out of the bag now as he shoke his head, looking away from Bella. "If one of your precious family members come on our land again…"

"And, Belle? She's part of our family to." Edward interrupted. But sweet Bella diverted Edward and Jacob from the topic of me. I didn't want to have my privilege of seeing the pack and walking freely on the pack's land revoked because Edward was jealous of Jacob's place in Bella's life.

"Wait, again?" Bella demanded, looking at me and then at Edward.

"You didn't tell her?" Jacob demanded of Edward and me. I looked, or more like sneered at Edward.

"I was hoping that Edward would have one _good _quality to him and think to tell my sister." I proclaimed, even if one part of me had been hoping that Bella would finally get fed up with Edward's attitude and just hurt him. Edward sneered at me and took a step closer, growling and I egged him on with my eyes. I just wanted him to do it, even in this place full of humans, I would take him on.

"Stop." Bella told Edward. "Tell me." Bella demanded. I watched in smug satisfaction as Edward was put on the defense by Bella. She was finally standing up for herself in their relationship. I was starting to think that him leaving her had permanently put her in a state of submission.

"Emmett and Paul had a misunderstanding. It's nothing to worry about." Edward blew it off, as if his family member hadn't almost been ripped to shreds by Paul because he stepped over the line. I really just want to punch his face in right now. I could feel anger bubbling up in my throat, as if it was a tangible liquid.

"Listen to you." Jacob could get angry at him for both of us, because I was seriously about to do something I was going to regret later. I was so angry and my emotions were being very frank. I was beginning to think that I was never going to forgive Edward for what he did to Bella. "Did you lie to get her out of town, too?" Jacob asked, taking a step forward.

"You should just leave." Edward matched his step, glaring into Jacob's eyes. The humans were starting to get anxious as their natural instincts peaked at Edward's anger, and Jacob's shaking hands. I watched him carefully. No matter how I wanted him to, I wasn't serious about him ripping Edward a new one, at least in public. It would be hard to explain this situation to the Volturi in a way that wouldn't get us all killed in the end and trust me they would kill the pack with every piece of anger they have.

"She has a right to know." I whispered, quietly and less confrontational.

"She _is _the one the redhead wants." Jacob agreed with me, nodding to Bella to invasive his point. I sighed and looked again at the Cullens who weren't even not pretending to look at us anymore. I also saw Emmett's restraining hand on Jasper's upper arm.

"Victoria?" Bella demanded. I couldn't tell if she looked more upset, scared, or angry at Edward. I sighed and ruffled my hair. Ugh, if she had known in the first place we wouldn't be risking exposure right now just to keep her in the dark. Edward closed his eyes for a second as he finally realized that he wasn't going to get away with not telling her any more. "Alice's vision." She looked from me and Jacob to Edward.

"I was trying to protect you." Edward defended his decision.

"By lying to me." Bella sounded betrayed and I watched the pain flash on Edward's face. I glanced at Jacob as he stayed silent, relishing in Edward's just deserts. I couldn't say it didn't feel good to see her chewing him out, but I knew better than Jacob that it didn't matter how many times he did it; she would come running back to him.

"Okay, we're gonna talk about this, but…" Now Bella turned to Jacob and I moved away from him, snickering. Now he was going to get his just desserts. I hope I wasn't on Bella's shit list next. I wouldn't like it very much if I had to deal with her yelling at me, and chances are, in the mood I'm in, I'll yell back. "You. Why haven't you called me back?" Bella demanded of him. I could see where she was coming from but honestly, after the way she had hit him with her 'I love you but not as much as the guy who ditched me' statement I couldn't blame him for trying to break all ties from her.

I slowly, not so ninja like, moved away. The last thing I heard from Jacob was "I had nothing to say…" When I was a distance away enough I moved over to the rest of the Cullen family. Automatically my eyes connected with Jasper's, who looked me over as if I was going to fall to pieces in front of him.

"Well, that was fun." I chirped. They all looked at me incredulously.

"You were standing next to a shaking mutt, how is that fun?" Alice demanded, as Jasper's eyes hardened, showing he shared the same sentiment.

I snorted. "Please, seeing Edward get ripped a new one just makes me all tingly inside." I rubbed my hands over my pants. They were cold. "As for Jacob, I knew he wouldn't phase. Although I did worry for a second." I admitted, shrugging.

"And that's nothing?" Jasper demanded and my eyes squinted at his rough Texan accent. He was genuinely worried for my safety. I felt bad on all kinds of levels that he was worried over me, but on another more primal level it evoked all kinds of good emotions from me. He felt them no doubt because his eyes darkened.

"Jacob won't phase in public. You have to trust me to know what I'm doing." I told him.

"The last time I trusted you with them, you nearly burnt your hand off." Jasper growled at me. I glowered back in his gorgeous face, no matter that I thought he was dead sexy when he was angry and the fire, feral passion in his eyes, his voice, and his projected emotions, made it oh so hard not to jump him in the parking lot.

"**It's an illusion, Belle!"**

I flinched back like struck. It had sounded just like it had come right out of his mouth. Jasper's mood deflated the moment my mood changed and he reached forward to take my arm but I shrank away, using the distraction of Jacob and Bella peeling out of the parking lot on the motorcycle, as a distraction.

"Belle, I-" Jasper started, and the other members of the family looked awkward around us as we had a spat but they still blocked us off from the humans as much as possible, talking in voices that were low enough that the humans couldn't hear.

"I'm going to go to the reservation, so Edward doesn't have a heart attack." I excused, walking away before Jasper could apologize, or again attack me with his scent. I didn't want to hurt him like that, it wasn't my attention to pour salt on the wound but it had just popped into my head like it always does. Maybe there was something wrong with me? Jasper needed someone better than me anyways, and if I just didn't return his feelings long enough he'd be forced to move on.

I shuddered and took off out of the school parking lot. I didn't care what Charlie thought, I was going to get away from these feelings, this hurt that came up every time that Jasper tried to show me that he loved me. Why couldn't I let it go? Why can't I love him in peace? Damn it.

I slammed my hand on the wheel, pushing down on the accelerator. I was heading towards Emily's. Sam and Emily probably won't be expecting me until later though… I turned my car in another direction, instead heading for the cliff. Not Jasper and I's. God, I didn't want to visit it right now. Instead I headed for the one that Paul had jumped over with me, the one that I'd stayed at for days just to wait on my sister.

It was just like I remembered it. As I parked my car I went into a daze, looking at all of the beautiful foliage that I so rarely admired. No matter how much I saw it I loved it. The cliff was familiar to, except for two little purple flowers that had grown at the edge of the bushes. I sighed at sat down on the wet ground, ignoring the wet feeling on my rear so that I could admire the view of the ocean out in front of me. Just remembering all of that time submerged in the ocean made me shiver.

I remember all of the parts of it. I remember the surrounding darkness as I lay at the bottom, my body having less oxygen in it then a human's body, and the cold, loneliness there. I was left alone to be punished, to be accompanied by all of the faces of those that had suffered at my hands.

I guess if I were to just slip off of the cliff, swim for a little ways, and drop, I would be in that situation again. Except this time I'd think of Jasper's beautiful face. His southern draw, wild ways, and gorgeous soul. I would be haunted by the looks of pain that he had felt from me, but most of all…

I'd be haunted by his words.

Even with all the things done to him, I couldn't do that to myself. Selfish of me, I know it is, to love him and hate him at the same time. To be scared of heartbreak when lesser people have survived it before me. I know the words were holding me back, but also the betrayal. To know that Jasper had done that to me when he knew how close I was to my sister.

All the good that did me. Bella barely spoke to me anymore, just kept in her corner of love with Edward. It was as if all of the things that I had sacrificed for her didn't matter, the things I was still sacrificing for her didn't matter. She could never love me as a sister, only as that person that she loved when it was convenient to her. Maybe I was like Jacob, letting Bella walk all over me but it didn't change the sisterly love that I felt for her.

I grimaced and glanced back down at the ocean. So it might have been easier for _me _to fall into the ocean and just wait in that bottom floor, to think over everything that has happened. My mind must really be as messed up as I pretend it is. It would explain why Edward couldn't read it, why it was just a 'mess' as he called it.

I imagine that Jasper and the family were on edge now, with not only me but Bella over in the reservation now. I could, again, not blame them, but I was still exasperated by their reactions. I didn't understand it either. I was a fully grown, three thousand year old vampire. Did they think that I just couldn't handle myself? Or were they just overprotective? I don't know.

It hit me that I didn't know if this is how a normal family would react to this situation. Even with Bella, Renee, and Charlie as my kind of, sort of, family I still didn't understand how this all worked. How did I act, and how did they act? Maybe it was normal for this to happen.

I just can't make sense of what everything is any more I guess. Thinking was much easier when I had Jasper's fingers running through my hair. That errant thought made my lips smile but my heart drop. I wanted Jasper, but at the same time I couldn't have him. I was selfish in that respect. I was hurting him, me, and the family but for the life of me I didn't understand. What was the last thing stopping me from forgiving him?

I flinched when something warm was pressed against my back. I looked back to see Paul there in his silvery wolf form. I took this moment to reach up and pet his large head. The wolves really were gorgeous, especially Paul's coat. It was silver all over, and almost white under. I could see every individual hair was like a new color of grey and silver. His big almost black eyes just completed the picture of it.

"I guess if you're here that means Jacob and Bella are at Emily's." I noted. Paul dipped his big head to tell me I was right. I wondered why he wasn't changed but then I reasoned that he had been on patrol and had sniffed out my scent. "Did Bella meet Leah?" I asked. Paul shoulder's shook and I rolled my eyes. "How about Seth?" He shook his head back and forth. "Hmmmm…." Paul sat down behind me, scouting closer. "Thanks." I muttered, burying my face into his fur. That's Paul, always offering comfort. It hurts that no one else sees him like he is now. I can't wait until he imprints, and someone finally sees this side of him and can love him like he wants to be loved.

I stayed there for a long time, basking in Paul's presence. Together we watched the ocean flow and as his presence usually does, it mellowed out my emotions at least for now. But we couldn't stay there all night, as I did have to eventually go back over the line, after seeing Bella. I did kind of promise that I would look after Bella…sort of. When I found Bella she was at Jacob's with him. I could tell the moment that Paul and I stepped in that they'd had a fight. I tried to dispel the tension by shooing Paul away, and asking Bella if she wanted to ride home with me since she didn't have a car.

She agreed and the entire way home explained what happened with Jacob, and how much Leah hated her. I told her about my first meeting with Leah and that it wasn't just her that Leah hated. In fact I think Leah just hates everyone in general. As for the imprint, and what Jacob said, I kept silent. I didn't know what to tell her about it. She didn't have a right to be jealous or fear that someone was going to take Jacob away because she didn't love him like that. Given how badly she had hurt him, I would say he has a right to imprint.

I also thought she was a little stupid for telling him that they were changing her at graduation. How many times did she have to rip out his heart to make her happy? My mouth was kept shut though, out of sheer force. When my car pulled up into the driveway I knew something was wrong. My entire being was tingling. I didn't bother to tell Bella to wait in the car, she would have come out anyway.

I was cautious coming in the door, even though Bella took her time to. She probably knew that the moment she was in the house Edward would come in. I hope he tripped over his overly sized head. When I opened the door the scent hit me. I stopped, and Bella ran into me. I stumbled once before I took in a deep breath of a human drinkers scent. It smelt of human blood and ice. I let out a breath, ignoring Charlie who had just turned the corner. I was glad he was here, but I was more worried about the scent. I followed it into the living room, glancing around for anything but there was nothing here.

I followed it again up the stairs. It went into both Bella's room and my own. I went into Bella's room first. It was strong, and whoever it was they had paid special attention to the dream catcher on Bella's bed. I took another deep breath and realized that Jacob's scent still lingered on the dream catcher. That would stick out to any vampire in the vicinity. I heard the knock on the door downstairs, but I was disinclined to pay attention to it. I followed the scent to the end of Bella's bed, and frowned. It was all over this room. Maybe he had come here first because the one that was in my room seemed fresher.

I looked around, frowning in distaste when I couldn't find anything wrong. I looked around, just searching for something that was out of place. And then Edward was up the stairs, and our eyes met, mine furious and his just as furious, his nostrils flaring as he scented out the place as well. I let him go to Bella's room, while I picked up my cellphone.

"Belle?" Carlisle answered.

"A vampire has been in Charlie's house." I announced for him. I could already guess the entire family was in the room. "I don't recognize the scent, and neither does Edward." I inhaled again but it still didn't make any sense. I could imagine Charlie's confusion at having us panic upstairs but he must have thought it was just kind of teenager thing because he didn't say anything to us.

There was a pause, and I could hear the murmur of voices over the phone before Carlisle's voice was back on the phone and he was speaking again.

"All right, Jasper and Emmett will go to see if they can track it. Have Edward bring Bella, and you three come over to the house." Carlisle instructed. I felt my eye twitch, the old hate for authority coming back but I pushed it away. I was too old to let that overcome me now.

"Right." I hung up, and Edward who had heard the conversation was already going out the door. I turned to Bella, who was looking lost at the flurry of activity around her. "Come on, we're going to the Cullen household." I told her, grabbing her hand and pulling her down the stairs.

"Dad!" I called. "Bella and I are going to visit Alice. It's her time of the month and she can't-" Charlie cut me off with exclamations of alright. I felt a hint of amusement that mentioning that was all it took to get out of the house.

The ride to the Cullen family was done in complete silence, as Edward was in the car, though Bella and he sat in the back while I drove this time. It was a new arrangement and I didn't like it but I changed, just so I wouldn't have to look in the rearview mirror and see him. Although I did have to watch the pressure of my grip so that I didn't crush the steering wheel when he and she kissed.

When I stopped in the driveway of the house, Edward opened the door for Bella, using his vampire speed and I zoomed up and into the house, to the room with the Cullen family inside. I could hear Jasper and Emmett already on their way back, just coming in downstairs. Rosalie was sitting down on the loveseat, and Carlisle was standing in front of the couch, in between the coffee table and the couch while Alice sat on the couch. I led Bella to the seat beside Alice, and nodded to Esme who was standing beside Rosalie. Edward walked to the middle of the room, just in front of a wooden chair but he didn't sit in it.

I settled for standing by the doorway and clenching my fists. Who would dare come into my house. It had to be someone important, as my age lingers in my scent and they would have known not to fuck with me unless they had a death wish. Or maybe their creator didn't explain to them how to read those kinds of things in scents. What if they didn't have a creator to explain things to them? I don't understand. It can't be a coincidence because there were to many things going on with the Volturi and Victoria for this to be random.

"Are you sure you don't know who it is?" Carlisle asked us when we entered the room.

"No," I answered. "This stranger, I didn't recognize his scent. He's at least a few months old though." I brushed my hands away from me. I can only imagine I smelt like dog, both Bella and I, because of where we'd been.

"A nomad passing through?" Esme wondered, almost hopefully. Her eyes were coal black. How long had it been since they fed? I knew that most of us couldn't feed while we were trying to protect Bella, but this is insane. They'd probably only gone out to feed last time because I'd needed it. Had it been anyone else who'd announced that they needed to feed it would have been an ordeal as we were so focused on protecting Bella.

"A passerby wouldn't have left Bella's father alive." Rosalie dashed Esme's hopes.

"Rose is right." I whispered, glancing at the doorway as Jasper came in with Emmett following close behind. I knew they couldn't have any good news just by the serious expression on Jasper and Emmett's faces.

"The scent disappeared about 5 miles south of Bella's house." Jasper informed us, and he stopped, standing next to me out of instinct or intention I didn't know. And to be honest, right now I needed Jasper's strength. Emmett though, he gravitated over to Rosalie who swept her eyes over Emmett to make sure there was nothing wrong with him. Me, I just swept my eyes over Jasper because I was mesmerized by his tight clothing. It was probably something Alice picked out for him to wear and I sent a half-hearted glare at her. It caused a half smile and a wink in my direction but this was a serious moment.

"Someone's orchestrating this." Carlisle theorized.

"Victoria?" Bella asked, scared. She was a human being chased by a vampire; I believe she had a right to be scared now. I'm half surprised she hadn't turned running yet. Only Bella would react the way she does, the opposite of what's good for her. Alice shook her head.

"I would have seen her decide." Alice was in denial as she looked to Bella.

"Things can slip through, Alice." I told her, gently. She wasn't the all mother, she couldn't see everything that happens at every moment and everything could be subject to change. I think we've put too much pressure on Alice and her visions.

"Has to be the Volturi." Edward set out another theory for us.

"I don't think it's the Volturi either." Alice stopped him.

"I agree with Alice." I nodded.

"I've been watching Aro's decisions to and he hasn't thought of this." Aro wouldn't be this risky. He wouldn't send one vampire in to deal with a coven of our size and mass. Especially if it was his guard. He's cautious to even let the ones without a power be sacrificed, though it's much more probable. If he knew I was with them, which he probably did if he saw me in Edward or Alice's mind, then he defiantly wouldn't have risked it.

"So we keep looking." Emmett growled, from his throat. He really was quite a big man, and had a lot of intimidation. Unless you knew Emmett, you'd think him a tough bastard who didn't give a shit about anyone. It was a great contrast from the man who'd come to be like a brother to me.

"We'll also take shifts, guarding Bella at her house." Carlisle ordered his coven. He looked horrible, with his black eyes and his eyes were getting more and ore sunken in, if he didn't feed soon even he'd go on a rampage. I'm already surprised that we'd made it this long without someone rampaging.

"_Another _protection detail?" Rosalie demanded.

"Rosalie." Carlisle admonished. I saw Bella open her mouth, to object there is no doubt. She wouldn't want for them to do this either, and I gotta say it's not a good idea.

"I think," I said. "That for now, that might not be a good idea." The coven in front of me turned to me so I hurried to explain myself. "Only half of us are feed enough. It's temptation enough for you to be around humans as long as you are, but to keep it that constant, there would be another accident. It's been weeks since some of you have hunted. Plus, I'm always there with Bella." I was almost pleading. Who would have thought the day would come when the great Nefertiti would have to plead with a coven for something so simple.

"You may always be there, but what if there are more of them then you can handle, next time. We need some kind of support." Edward challenged. I felt more then saw the fire light in my eyes. God, I'm glad he challenged me.

"I'm more then capable of taking what they give. You forget, I'm old enough to have seen battles that you can't even comprehend." I told him. "I can more than protect one human from the Volturi, or Victoria." I cracked my neck, eyeing him. Then Bella stood up and glared at me. I sighed and rolled my eyes, even as Jasper sent me tendrils of calm. "Jesus, guys I'm not going to attack him." I exasperatedly added.

"No, you're right." Bella stepped forward, looking back at all of them where she stood in front of me. I couldn't help the smug expression on my face as Bella turned against Edward. I even wanted to happy dance, but dancing in front of Emmett would only spark another dance battle.

"I'm not leaving you here defenseless, with everyone who's after you." Edward disagreed, his face a mirror for anger and frustration. I have the feeling he may have had this conversation, or something similar to it, with Bella before. I wouldn't be surprised…I think.

"I _wouldn't _be defenseless." Bella shuffled back to stand beside me, tucking one of her mahogany locks behind her ear. I let her take my arm in between her own, even if I didn't know where she was going with this or why she was suddenly being sisterly with me.

"One vampire is not enough to sufficiently protect you Bella." Edward argued. My eyes widened with incredulity. He acts as if I was not standing right here, as if he has his own death wish. If Jasper wasn't pumping me full of calm juice I would have actually attacked him. I don't know why he was getting on my nerves so bad today. It could have been the lack of sleep, or I've really just had enough of everything. It wouldn't surprise me if I've finally hit that point in my vampire life where I can't stand to be around other people. Oh, if Stefan could hear me now.

"I'm not going to let you all starve. I've seen it first-hand." Bella glanced at me and I grimaced.

"That's, just me actually." I whispered to her, even though they could hear it. "It's an aging thing." I looked away from her, her cheeks red. I knew what she was getting at now and I wanted to congratulate her on her idea. "But the idea still stands. She wouldn't just have me for protection. She'd have the pack." I announced.

"The mutts?" Rosalie demanded. Esme and Carlisle were looking at each other in concern, no doubt wondering for their family's safety if this went on. Emmett just looked ready to grab Rose if she got to confrontational, and Jasper was just looking at everyone, but I didn't fail to notice that he was glowering at the opposite side of the room. Alice, though was completely blank and I wondered for a moment if she was having a vision or not.

"I think that's a good idea." Carlisle finally admitted.

"You're all insane." Edward growled and Bella let go of my arm to speak with him. I intentionally blocked it out, because I didn't need to any of their love fest.

"I'll call them in the morning. They at least deserve a nights rest." I told the household.

**I thought I'd give you one more before I go to sleep!**


	5. An Oyster

And they did deserve that. When I called in the morning Jacob ran right over. He was always a sucker for Bella so the moment I'd mentioned protecting her he'd hung up the phone and been on his way. He came over in his usual shorts and tattoo, so much for clothes. Charlie had already left, which was excellent and very good because I don't think he would understand completely why Edward and Jacob were glaring at each other like they would kill each other.

Edward couldn't even be in the house with Jacob. He'd stayed outside while Jacob, Bella and I had gone inside. Bella hadn't really been any help more than following us around worriedly. I'd informed Jacob of anything that I'd noticed, like the lingering on the bed, and the age which Jacob couldn't smell. He did think that my ability to smell the age of the intruder was weird and very bloodsuckerish if I remember.

"Whoever it was, he left his stink behind." Jacob announced upon reappearing out of the house with Bella and I. He walked straight toward Edward, who looked as if he had seen better days. His eyes were pitch black and the black long sleeve shirt he was wearing was obviously not Alice approved. I doubt Alice had time for picking out people's outfits but I could be wrong. After all she is planning out a party for graduation that shockingly was just a few breaths away.

"Can you track it though?" I asked him. He glanced at me but mostly kept his eyes on Edward. That was probably a good idea because Edward looked as if he would take Jacob down at any slight opening.

"It'll be hard to miss when we cross it again." And then Jacob pushed one of Edward's buttons. "We'll handle it from here." I could literally almost see a switch flip in Edward's brain that had been dormant. He obviously liked Jacob about as much as I liked Edward.

"We don't need you to _handle _anything." He practically snarled at the wolf and I put a hand between them, on Jacob's chest because I honestly couldn't touch Edward without thinking he would leak his control freak germs all over me. "Or anyone."

"I could care less what you need." Jacob returned and I kept my restraining hand on his chest. It was only for Bella's sake, and well partly Jacob's. As much as I didn't want to say it, Edward did have an advantage against Jacob, the mind reading and the age. He would probably not have seen any battles but he would not be uncoordinated, and he might have some experience with a lone few people but not a wolf for sure. Jacob though has only killed one or two vampires, and none who could read his every move, and he's also never been alone.

"All right, we're done here." Edward looked to Bella, shaking his head.

"No, you're done here." Jacob tried to take a step forward but I stepped forward and between them.

"Stop." I ordered, while Bella more like shouted it in surprise. I pushed the two people apart and stood between them, watching for both of them to try and get past me. With the way that Edward had acted last night I'd expected him to try and take me on but he stayed off to his side and Jacob controlled his shaking. After what happened during his first phasing, he's been doing very well with his temper, even if he still shakes a bit, he always manages to get away. I couldn't help but to admire him for that kind of control.

"I'm tired of you guys fighting. From now on I'm Switzerland, okay?" Bella told them while they glared over me at each other. If I wasn't so short they wouldn't be able to but unfortunately I am and they can. I wanted to laugh at Bella's comment, because she was anything but Switzerland right now. If it came down to it, and it has before, she'd choose Edward and while I didn't like her decision, I could understand. Jacob had not imprinted on her, and if he were to imprint on someone while married to her or something, then I'd be just as mad at him as I am at Edward now.

In the days that followed that one, the blend of the wolves and the vampires was very slow. I could honestly say that I hadn't suspected that even this level of tentative interaction would happen. I don't think either side was happy about the situation. They did try though. Edward still insisted that at least two vampires were protecting Bella at all times. I had thrown my hands up and used the time to sleep anyway. When the vampires needed to hunt though, the wolves took over. It was very uncertain but so far there had been no accidental snaps at anyone yet.

Bella would some days go over to the reservation, when Edward needed to hunt. She told me that it helped her feel like he was coming back, and that her heart didn't hurt so much. I couldn't even begin to explain the level of hurt, that I couldn't be that for her, and yet the level of understanding I felt for her. Paul was that for me. He helped to make me feel better when I just wanted to scream at everyone, and when Jasper was driving me up the wall with his wonderfulness, and yet the words still haunted me. They were slowly becoming more frequent and I was beginning to believe I'd become insane.

So today I drove with Edward and Bella to meet Jacob to go over the line to the reservation. It was just like any other day that I would go with Bella over the line. There was a huge, tense battle of wills between Edward and Jacob over Bella. I almost laughed at the awkward way Jacob looked away when Bella and Edward kissed. Almost, because I had to look away to if anyone showed any kind of affection anymore because it hurt and reminded me of Jasper. Or more accurately, what I could have with my mate if I could just get passed what he said.

And I really want to get past it, and not be so scared that he's going to ruin me.

While Bella spent her day with Jacob, doing God only knows what, probably biking for all I know; I spent my day with Billy and the elders. They wanted to know about vampires as well, so that they could write it down for the next generation. I agreed on terms that the next generations should not be taught to hate me, or the Cullens. The council had a hard time agreeing to the Cullens, but in the end it worked out. Just in time to head to a bonfire.

When I arrived, they were all already there. I said hey to all of the pack, and got a deep and warm hug from Paul and even one from Seth who seemed excited. I asked Billy, who had taken a shine to me when he realized that I sympathized with Charlie over Renee, and that I wanted to see him happy, why.

"It's Seth and Leah's first time hearing the stories of the people as wolves. Now they will fully understand what was going on." Billy explained to me just as Bella and Jacob pulled up in Jacob's beaten up, but fully functional rabbit. I did not approve of the car but I do realize that they were not as fortunate as me to have money. "You'll be the first vampire to hear them." Billy joked.

"And probably the last." I winked at the aging man. As before, when I'd met him just briefly, he was bringing back bad memories but I would be all right. I just pushed them aside like it was normal, and with how many times I'd thought of Jasper it was probably normal. I was trying my best to get over what Jasper did, but it was hard work trying to convince my heart that it wouldn't get stabbed if it forgave Jasper.

I waved at Bella when she came closer with Jacob and Seth even got up to go meet them. We'd eaten all ready, and I'd decided since it still tasted bland, that I might need to feed on the way home if we were coming back and they were going to shove more food on me. I sat next to Sam and Emily, which kind of hurt since they were almost all over each other but I ignored it. It was better than sitting next to Leah, who'd been glaring at me all night. Paul had told me to ignore it.

I'd even met Quil, and got to know him better. Apparently he and Jacob had been tight though Jacob had failed to mention him. I bet it was because it was painful to know that Quil was going to change. Or maybe it was just painful that they had to exclude anyone who isn't a wolf from the knowledge, like it was some big secret that was to be kept well….secret.

I came to attention when Bella and Jacob sat down, Billy was starting.

"The Quileute's have been a small tribe from the beginning, but we have always had magic in our blood. We were great, spirit warriors, shape-shifters that transformed to the powerful wolf." I loved how Billy used his hands in the story, making claws even for the wolf. It was so engrossing to listen to it. "This enabled them to scare off our enemies and protect our tribe. One day, our warriors came across a creature. It looked like a man, but it was hard like stone and cold as ice. Our warriors' sharp teeth finally tore it apart, but only fire would completely destroy it." I winced visibly at just the mention. I hated fire when I was human.

I'd always stayed clear of it when it had lit the rooms, and as a Queen I'd demanded it to be kept at least five feet from me at once. It may have been stuck up and a pain for the slaves but now it was reasonable and I had a reason to fear the fire. Then, I'm not sure what it was about the fire that scared me, but I like to think it was a warning sign of what I was going to become.

"They lived in fear that the cold man was not alone. And they were right. She took her vengeance out on the village. Our elder chief, Taha Aki, was the only spirit warrior left to save the tribe after his son was killed. Taha Aki's third wife could see that he would lose. The third wife was no magical being, with no special powers but one, courage. The third wife's sacrifice distracted the cold woman long enough for Taha Aki to destroy her. She saved the tribe. Over time our enemies have disappeared, but one. The Cold Ones." I smirked and wiggled my eyebrows at Paul, puffing my chest out.

He grinned at me, showing all of his teeth and then he mimed taking a bite out of me and I had to cover my laughter up with my hand. I knew it was supposed to be serious but now they were talking about my kind, and it was a little less intensive I guess you could say. Billy truly had a gift for storytelling.

"Our magic awakens when they're near, and we sense it now." Billy continued, looking at me. I ducked my head sheepishly. We weren't _supposed _to be here much longer but I kind of don't feel guilty. With all of the heartache from coming to Forks I'm still glad I did it. "We feel the…threat in our blood. Something terrible is coming, and we must all be ready, all of us." He again glanced at me, making eye contact before moving on to my sister. Speaking of Bella, she looked kind of freaked out.

I can't imagine that such an innocent story, that didn't even make me worry, made her scared. She'd stood up to vampires and werewolves alike. I doubt it's the story that was worrying her. It must be something else, like Edward's attitude of late. Or really is attitude in general if I had to say something. But I don't. It's her problem if she has a controlling boyfriend.

"I think it's awesome…" Paul muttered. Someone threw a rock from the other side of the fire and I laughed at Paul when he jumped and almost fell off of the log we were sitting on. The pack and I wasted no time at laughing, and I pushed him over the log the rest of the way. He growled at me, laughing to. I saw Leah get up and I glanced up. It was night time now. Maybe Bella should get home. I'm sure Jacob will take care of it. As for me, I opted to get out at the border and run it.

There was no real reason for it. I thought that maybe I would enjoy the breeze and I really did enjoy the run through the lush foliage and the wet air. It was nice, and for a moment I felt free and happy. And then I arrived at the Cullen household, which is where Edward would take Bella. I'd taken a bit of a detour to grab a buck and suck it down. I shuttered when the blood tasted like dirt. I couldn't go back to not feeding though. Too many people noticed it, and it made my life harder instead of easier.

When I arrived any sense of calm was tarnished when I saw what was on the T.V. It was another report about Seattle on T.V. and I wasn't happy. I like to think that I knew the Volturi very well. Saying that, I also knew that there had to be a reason they hadn't _already _stepped in. After all, it's one of their biggest, if not the biggest, rules in the vampire world. I wouldn't doubt that other vampires have realized what is going on, so they should have stepped in before it got so far as the international news.

"_Seattle is in a state of terror." _The reporter told us. She stood in front of a scene of policemen looking down at bodies. Thankfully you couldn't really tell how they'd been injured. _"Police are baffled by the escalating murders and disappearances." _

Carlisle sat on the couch, which went around the smaller room. It was probably the smallest room in the house. I guess it could be called the TV room. Emmett sat off in the corner of the room to the back, on the top of the couches back. Jasper was beside Carlisle, and at the end. I stood behind him, completely unintentional but worth it. I stood in the doorway, watching the news report with them now.

I could hear Edward and Bella coming into the house and up to the room as the lady reported on the deaths. I didn't pay attention to it. I didn't even want to wonder what had happened when Edward had been there to pick her up from Jacob. It was probably just another pissing contest over Bella.

"_Theories range from a vicious new gang to a wildly active serial killer." _The reporter kept on. As Bella and Edward stepped into the room Carlisle put the T.V. in mute so that he could update Edward and Bella.

"It's getting worse. We're going to have to do something." He said, looking down at the remote. Poor Carlisle hated taking lives, even when it was necessary. If he knew what kind of person I used to be he'd never be able to look at me again, much less allow me into his coven. I fear anyone of the Cullens knowing of my past. Even Jasper, who was not just my mate, but also possibly the darkest of the Cullen family. Carlisle placed the remote down on the small coffee table that Esme had put into the room.

"It takes…more than one of our kind to cause the damage they're reporting." Jasper told us, his voice uncharacteristically dark. I could see him going into his old memories. Jasper had been part of the newborn army, I knew that much. I knew a lot about the situation, but still not all of it. All I needed to know was that if I ever met Maria, there would be hell to pay. She would wish she'd never been plain out born.

"And ones without…" I glanced at Bella. She still looked slightly out of it from the story. "…manners." I substituted.

"Quite a few of them." Jasper followed, glancing to at Bella. Unlike me he didn't really seem to notice her reaction, though I knew he could tell what she was feeling. It made since that he wouldn't hide this from her. "They are undisciplined, conspicuous." Jasper agreed with me, sitting forward slightly for a second before sitting up straight again.

"It's newborns." Edward read Jasper's mind. I flitted my eyes to him but dismissed him. Carlisle didn't seem to know what Jasper was getting at but I was a little surprised when he'd looked to Edward so fast. Maybe Carlisle wasn't as knowledgeable as I am, and I'd forgotten that but I'd been sure that he would have experienced a newborn army.

Of course the last one that had happened had been in the south, the ones Jasper took part in. Otherwise I've heard nothing of a newborn army. I like to think that _any _kind of war is within my base of knowledge. After all I've been around for a _long _time.

"What, like new vampires?" Bella tried to clarify.

"Oh, yeah." I muttered, realizing that she didn't know what they were. It had never crossed my mind to actually use the term around her. "After you're changed, for almost a year, your blood still flows through your veins. It makes you stronger, sometimes faster, and a lot more vicious then older vampires." I explained to her, cutting off Edward who I knew was going to start talking again.

"That's when we're at our most uncontrollable." Jasper put in for Bella's benefit. I knew he was still in his past by the glazed look that took over his face once more. "Vicious. Insane with thirst." He almost growled. I reached out a hand and tentatively put it on his shoulder. He blinked and looked up at me. His half smile in thanks made me return it. Carlisle put his joined hands to his mouth. He was such a gentle and compassionate soul that I imagine this talk of newborns was hard for him, or maybe he was remembering his children, and wife, in their newborn stages. I wouldn't be able to tell. I myself had not suffered a flashback but if they kept talking, I could feel one coming on.

I removed my hand from Jasper's shoulder when Emmett spoke to Bella. Jasper slowly turned his head to Emmett, though not exaggerated it was noticeable. I looked between Emmett and Bella.

"Something to look forward to." Emmett commented. Of course, the boy was like a newborn more than an older vampire. Not so much with the speed but he had the strength. I'd say a newborn was stronger than Emmett, but Emmett defiantly had a one up on any vampire not in their newborn years.

"No one's trained these newborns." I cut in, trying to get us back on track, even rolling my eyes at Emmett's comment. "But this isn't random. It's obvious that someone inexperienced is creating them." I ran my hand through my hair as everyone looked at me. I hoped they would chalk it up to my long years and not ask any questions. I just wanted to keep my past in the past. It's why I'd chosen to act the part of a human, no matter how much I'd managed to fail.

"Someone's creating an army?" Carlisle looked to me for confirmation. I nodded.

"Well, now we're definitely going to Seattle." Emmett got up off of the back of the couch and jumped down on the floor. I frowned at Bella and Edward. They somehow looked the most worried in the room. I could only imagine the kind of mood Jasper was having, seeing as we were all worried, besides Emmett. I think that man would rather pound faces in then drink blood. I needed to have a serious talk with Rose later.

"An army of vampires?" Bella looked almost incredulous now.

"And they've been created to fight someone." Jasper looked at Bella in speculation.

"We're the only clan even close to Seattle." Edward's eyebrows came together in thought. I did notice that his eyes were back golden. That was a load off of my shoulders. Bella was his singer, so excuse me if I worry about her safety with him. It's just instinctual to worry about Bella. I wonder if anyone else had realized this yet.

"Regardless of why they were made, if we don't put a stop to them, the Volturi will." Carlisle told Edward. I knew what Edward was thinking though and as much as it really pained me, I agreed. This army was a little too close to home to not be aimed at us. "I'm surprised they've let it go on this long."

"I agree." I muttered, again ruffling my hair. I think I got a few twigs in it because something was poking me. I was a vampire right now but that didn't mean that it didn't register in the back of my mind.

"Maybe they're behind it." Edward told us and Bella glanced at him, even more worried. Both Carlisle and I looked at him with a disbelieving expression, though Carlisle's look wasn't as expressive as my own. Carlisle always had a way of being calm. "In Italy, I read Aro's mind. He wants me and Alice to join him but he knows we'll never choose him as long as our family's still alive…and Nefertiti is with us." Again every head turned to me. My jaw clenched and I looked into the forest.

"An army, Aro wouldn't do." I told them, ignoring the unasked question in the air. Another part of my past I wanted to keep so firmly buried in the ground that I actually would consider taking Aro to the grave and burying him. I felt the calming emotions of Jasper and I sent him a grateful glance before I looked at Edward. "It isn't his style. Aro's very prideful, and arrogant. He'd want you to know it was his fault that it happened." I told Edward. I think this is the first time since before the birthday party that I'd even talked to him with no anger in my voice.

"However, with an army, he wouldn't have to worry about Nefertiti or our family." Jasper put in, looking at me. I met his eyes even if I did feel a little amusement. An army was a problem, true, but if left to my own devices, with no one to protect, I think I could make it through just as fine as I would an army of defenseless humans. Jasper felt the smug amusement and his face turned adorably confused. Jasper was adorable all of the time, except when he's sexy.

Edward and Bella looked extremely disturbed and I rolled my eyes. We had no proof that it was, or wasn't Aro and the Volturi. So really this conversation had only gotten us as far as realized it was a newborn army. Great.

Shoot me, please.

**I can't wait to see what you think! Don't really have that much to say now. **


	6. An Ant

When we got home, I escaped to my bedroom. Charlie had been on a case for a few weeks now, and he was always depressed now. He kept talking about what he would do if it was Bella or I. It made me depressed that I would be leaving him, and so would Bella. It didn't help that right after Bella escaped, and when night fell, Edward arrived. I was getting real tired of his shit. I had to jump out of my window to get away from them. I hated to leave my sister in that kind of situation with Edward but it wasn't my problem.

Maybe it was _me _who was to controlling. I didn't want to suffocate her. What if that was why she didn't spend time with me anymore? Maybe it was because she felt that she couldn't be herself with me anymore? I can't help it if I felt she was letting him consume her.

I couldn't blame him, could I? It's vampire instinct to want to devour your mate. You know, in different kind of senses you know. In the morning Bella and I took off to La Push. This time I brought my own car and Edward had to get in the back seat again with Bella. I still didn't like it but I lived with it.

Everything seemed to be fine one minute, and then all hell broke loose in a second.

"-I'm just saying, Sam." I argued with him. He took a sip of his drink. I was sitting in Sam and Emily's kitchen. Emily was happily cooking in the kitchen, amused by Sam and I's petty argument.

"Please." Sam sat back in his chair, swinging his arm behind the backrest. "Vampires can run fast, but we have teeth and claws and the strength to catch up." We were playfully arguing about who would be a better hunter when hunting animals.

"Yeah, and I've been doing it a lot longer then you. I have experience chasing animals of all kinds. I've chased creatures from foxes to giraffes." I paused. "Don't ask." I stopped his mouth from opening. "I just bit into the part of their neck below their head." I confessed. "It took like three tries to realize that it worked that way." Even though the topic was a little gross he laughed anyways. "It was a dare okay!" I told him, swigging my own tea. My phone began to ring furiously. For a second I actually thought it was Jasper.

Then I picked up.

"Belle, get to Bella right now." Edward commanded. I straightened, and so did Sam who could hear it. At first I was furious until I realized that something must be wrong if he wanted me to get to Bella.

"What happened?" I demanded, getting up out of my seat and heading for the door already, with no more explanation then what he gave me.

"Jacob kissed her." Edward snarled the words out and I barely caught them. I tensed for a second before I glanced back to meet Sam's eyes. "And she broke her hand punching his face." I groaned in exasperation.

"Only Bella." I grunted. "I'll get her back to Charlie's house." I told him.

"No, take her to the house." Edward demanded.

"I can't do that. It's already late as it is. If we don't at least show up, Charlie will be searching the globe. Plus, you know as well as I do that Jacob isn't just going to let her go." I yanked open my door and jumped in, waving Sam off and cranking up my car and pulling it out of the drive. I knew where Jacob had taken her. He'd taken her back to a little stretch of land off to the side of the cliff, where it had been kind of like swamp land. "I'll compromise. Meet me there and we can tell Charlie what happened. He'll let us take her to Carlisle after that."

"Deal." He automatically agreed and then hung up the phone. I threw it to the side and sped up now that my full attention was on the road. It didn't take me long to find them. Jacob was ushering Bella to the rabbit but I squealed to a stop. I jumped out of the car, glaring.

"Bella." I demanded, running to her.

"I didn't-" I glared at him, stopping Jacob's explanations.

"Get in my car." I told Bella, and she agreed without saying anything. She got into my passengers seat and she was as pissed, if not less so as me. When I went around my vehicle Jacob stopped me with an arm on my car. Another hand print that would have to be gotten out of my car later.

"I'm going to." Jacob growled and he was shaking violently.

"Get in the car." I snarled at him to. I was angry beyond belief that she had been hurt on Jacob's watch. Once I got into the car I hit the accelerator and headed towards Forks. Jacob kept spewing apologizes, and explaining what happened but neither Bella nor I were listening to him, or more we were ignoring him.

When I parked in front of Charlie's home Bella was out of the car fast, with Jacob right behind her. I took a deep breath and stepped out of the car as well, a little more stable but even more concerned. I ran to Bella, taking her hand and eyeing it. I still didn't know that much about medicine, or what to do but the wrist was swelling. I would have changed, if Charlie wasn't home, and used my chill to help her but I could not.

It didn't matter because we hadn't said a word before Edward had parked his Volvo and was out of the door. I tried to get Bella to go to the Volvo, but she pulled away from me as Edward spilled from the car.

"Edward!" Bella yelled when Jacob was pushed back away from her by Bella's boyfriend. For once I thought he did the right thing. If I could I would, but I can't so I shall allow Edward to do it. I know I approved of Jacob, but it's very obvious that Bella didn't feel the same way about Jacob. I know he thinks he's helping, but kissing her didn't help anything. It only hindered it.

"If you ever touch her against her will again…" Edward growled loudly. Jacob swung Edward's arm off of him, taking a step back.

"Don't do this here!" Bella said. I stepped in between Edward and Jacob. While in this form I was admittedly vulnerable, I could bounce back. Bella would walk away with injuries, or be killed if one of these two lost their temper too much.

"She's not sure what she wants." Jacob said back to Edward and I had to work to push him back. Bella tried again to get them to stop.

"Let me give you a _clue_!" Edward got up in Jacob's face and I squealed a little as I was pushed in between the two fighting mythical creatures. "Wait for her to say the words." I wiggled out from between them. I rolled my shoulders back and winced. Damn.

"Fine! And she will." Jacob squeezed out between his clenched teeth.

"Jacob, you've done enough. GO!" I demanded of him. I looked around as Charlie came down the stairs, and into the fray, unknowingly.

"Hey, hey, hey, hey." Charlie repeated until he casually split the two apart, like his police status mattered to these two. The only thing that really worked was that he was human. "Easy guys, easy." He pushed them apart like nothing. "Let's take it down a notch. All right?" They moved back, having to control themselves again as they were now again within the range of the human world.

Charlie met my eyes and I can only guess about how my eyes must have looked with the boiling anger I felt. To think she'd gotten hurt because of _Jacob._ And she'd been on my watch. I'd promised that she wouldn't get hurt over on the packs land.

"What's going on?" Charlie finally asked, looking between the glaring boys.

"Jacob kissed Bella." I ground out. Charlie's eyes went first to me and then to Jacob. I could see a joy in his eyes. It actually made me just want to slap Charlie. He was completely innocent though, and I kept that firmly in mind. He didn't know anything behind what happened. He didn't know that Jacob wasn't _meant _for Bella. Charlie didn't know a thing about imprinting or mates. "And she broke her hand…" I looked at Jacob, making him confess.

"…on my face." Jacob finished for me. Charlie looked down at Bella's hand in confusion and then to Jacob. I knew he was wondering if she was that bad of a hitter. "Total misunderstanding." I snarled under my breath and Jacob flinched.

"Edward and I are going to take her to see Dr. Cullen." I told Charlie as Edward moved Bella to the car. "He's off work but he said he'd be happy to look at it." I lied smoothly. I'm sure he would be all right with looking at it and I knew he was off work.

"Well, as long as it's okay with-" I didn't wait longer.

"Thanks, Dad." I shouted back, running to the Volvo and sliding into the back. Edward peeled out.

Next thing I knew, I was laying on a couch, groaning, as Bella got her hand checked out. Bella and I's anger was over with. Edward's was not. I sighed from my place on the couch when Carlisle started speaking again. He'd told us he was going to wrap it up with an ace bandage for now.

"It's just a sprain. It should heal fairly quickly." He told Bella. I was almost curious enough to ask how he could tell but I resisted. I wanted to know more, but I wasn't going to get into it now. I got up when Emmett and Jasper walked into the room. While Jasper, as stunning as ever in a sweater and a button up, and delicious jeans, walked respectfully into the room, Emmett did not. He walked in and jumped up to sit on the kind of half wall thing in the room. These people have way too many rooms.

"Trying to walk and chew gum at the same time again, Bella?" Emmett joked. Actually, that had happened before. I opened my mouth to say something but Bella sent one glare over at me. I slyly smiled and winked at her. I'd have enough time to tell everyone of Bella's misdeeds as a human once she was a vampire.

"I punched a werewolf in the face." Bella told Emmett. Their joking matter was lost on the rest of us. Rosalie, who sat on the other side of the half wall was furious, though she was looking, not seeing, the newspaper she had in front of her. Carlisle continued to wrap Bella's hand, while Edward stood behind her, watching. Jasper stood in the doorway between the rooms.

I looked him over, half expecting injuries on him. He was fine though, and still looked as wonderful as before. I met his golden eyes and he smiled at me. I smiled back without thinking and I blinked before looking to Emmett again when he commented.

"Badass." He said. "You're going to make one tough little newborn."

"Tough enough to take you on." Bella joked, hesitantly. I would have not said it all together. Rosalie had taken all she could. She stood up, throwing down her newspaper and threw it on the table. I watched her walk out of the door and to the area where it was like a balcony.

"Don't worry about it." Emmett actually sounded his age. I felt sad that this is what it took to turn Emmett into a serious person. Not sad at him, just sad at this entire mess that we were all in. I watched Carlisle finish the ace bandage wrap and then look to Edward.

"Got any leads?" Edward asked Jasper. I watched Bella as she looked to Rosalie.

"No sign of the intruder. But Victoria continues to make appearances." Jasper updated us. I nodded at him, and as Bella made her move to go to Rosalie, I followed her. I had an inkling to what was going to happen and I wanted to listen as well. Not because of any bad intentions or just plain curiosity. I wanted to know more about Rose, because I considered her someone close to me and if I wanted her to be close to me then I'd need to know about her.

As we walked out, I made sure to push the door shut. They would be able to hear anyway but I bet everyone in the house had already heard this story before. "Go blather to someone else about the joys of becoming a newborn." Rosalie only turned her head a little to the side to tell Bella this. I stayed silent, letting them have their moment. I sat on the table. Bella even hesitated to say anything.

"Rosalie," She took a deep breath. She really was scared of Rose. "I don't understand what I did to make you hate me so much." I rolled my eyes, unseen, but I did it anyways.

"Hate…" Rosalie scoffed, but of course it didn't look bad on Rose's face. "I don't hate you." She turned to tell Bella and I saw the sadness on her face. "I don't particularly like you, but…Nefertiti does so I tolerate you." I half-grinned at Rose and winked at Bella when she turned to me in shock. She probably didn't know half the things I do to protect her, what I sacrifice. "Bella, I envy you."

"What?" Bella all but blurted out. I'd be shocked to, if I didn't already know. The one thing I did know about Rosalie was that she wanted a child more than anything. "That's ridiculous."

"No, it's not." Rosalie said, shaking her head minuscule. "You have a choice. I didn't. None of us did. But you do, and you're choosing wrong." I knew that none of the Cullen's that Carlisle changed would have a nice story, as they'd been dying when they were turned but I'd kind of hoped that this one would have happiness. "I don't care how miserable your human life is. You have a father, a mother, and a sister who has literally placed herself at death's door to take care of you. And you'll just throw that away." I shuttered at the mention of that life ruining night, and being on death's doorstep.

"My life is not miserable." Bella agreed, if you will. "I know Belle loves me, she takes care of me. I mean we've had ups and down, what kind of life doesn't? Nobody's life is perfect." I smiled happily as my hard work was recognized. I didn't think that she even noticed, what with Edward crowding her senses.

"Mine was." Rosalie smiled in remembrance. "Absolutely perfect. There were things I still wanted, to be married, with a nice house and a husband to kiss me when he came home, a family of my own." Oh God, I hope I was wrong about what was going to happen. She laid the stage for her story and I could just see Rosalie during that age.

"Royce King was the most eligible bachelor in town….I barely knew him." Rosalie said. "But I was young. I was in love with the idea of love. On the last night of my life, I left a friend's house late. I wasn't far from home. Royce was with his friends, he'd been drinking. They took me into an alley, out of sight and raped me, one at a time." I faltered and as the word pasted from her mouth I shuttered.

**It was so warm here in my new palace. In my homeland it had been so much colder. I think I liked the warmth here. They always kept fires lit and burning so you could see. I also hated the warmth. With it came Amenhotep and with him came fire of a kind I did not like. When he puts his dirty hand on me I feel weak, like I can't protect myself. He makes me wish I could go back to the simpler times when I was younger, and could run around the castle without being criticized on the way I walk.**

I shuttered out of the memory, clutching my head in one of my hands. The people on the balcony went unawares, and I bet the people in the house didn't know either. I wanted to leave, before it got worse but it was like a moth to flame.

"…They left me in the street, thinking I was dead…."

"**Now stay your little self in this room until the bruises fade. I wouldn't want my beautiful **_**Queen **_**to be marred….You know I love you, don't you? I'm just trying to show it." **

"I wish I had been." Rosalie concluded. My sentiments exactly. "Believe me I wanted to be. Carlisle found me; he smelt all of the blood. He believed he was helping me."

"I'm sorry." Bella said and I could barely keep up. I was trying to force long dead memories back in their place.

"I got my revenge on them…." Rosalie started again. I barely heard her voice.

**I was so thirsty. Where was I? A heartbeat came into the garden and I stopped my staring and instinctually dove for my husband. His blood was divine, and soothed the ache that was taking over all of my senses. I felt a sense of revenge as he was taken in to me, and I stole what I could only assume was his Ka. He deserved this. For Mekenaten, for me.**

I watched Rose as she told me and Bella the rest of her revenge but all I could feel was his blood flowing through my throat. "I was a little theatrical back then. Things got better after I found Emmett."

**I glance around the room and the Cullen's are still here, just by the doors, staring at us. I accidently looked at the blonde male, Jasper? He meets my eyes but I just blinked. He thinks I'm a human and with those odds I can bet that even if I smiled he wouldn't return it.**

"But we'll always be this, frozen and never moving." Rosalie glanced at me. "Or most of us. That's what I miss the most, the possibilities. Of sitting on the porch, Emmett grey headed by my side, our grandchildren playing around us…." I felt bad for her. I'd stayed around long enough to see my grandchildren play around me, even if Tut had never had children. It didn't mean my other kids didn't. Of course they were all scared of me, never talking to me because I never changed.

"I understand that that's what you want…" Bella whispered, ringing Rosalie's almost absent gaze over to her. Rosalie snapped to attention. "But I will never want anything more then I want Edward." It's awesome how I was never part of her announcements. Why didn't she like me?

"Wrong again." I said, looking at her. "There is one thing that you will want more, Bella, blood." I walked away. I didn't want to be here anymore. Edward can take her home tonight. If all she wants is Edward, then that's all she's going to get.

I could see the Cullens watching me as I walked out of the house, watching me with concern. I think that's the harshest thing that I've ever said to Bella. Well, she obviously doesn't appreciate me, so why should I be so concerned with her? I ended up running to my house, having to change right before I walked in the house. It was cold out, but not cold enough that I would be questioned about a jacket. When I walked into the kitchen Charlie was standing there. I wanted to walk right back out as I realized that Charlie was looking over Riley Biers' case again.

"Hey," Charlie caught me. I sighed and grabbed a piece of pizza out of the refrigerator. "You and Bella are graduating tomorrow." Charlie said. I jolted with surprise, nearly spitting out my pizza. Where the fuck had my brain been?

"What?" I shouted. "Do I have everything?" I demanded, throwing away the rest of the pizza. "I've got to get ready!" I ran up the stairs. Charlie laughed after me, but I stopped at the top of the stairs, going into my room. I wasn't so much worried about the graduation as I was worried about the fact that I'd forgotten graduation. All of this stuff was such a problem that I'd forgotten that graduation was even happening.

As I waded through the things on my floor I fell onto my bed. I would clean it in the morning. I hadn't cleaned this thing since before the party. I couldn't find anything anymore, and just picked my clothes out of the ones on the floor, the ones that I could smell were clean. I was getting tired of stepping over it.

I woke up in the morning to a sliver of sunshine through my window. Great, it's shining in Forks. I avoided cleaning my room for a while. I ate food, and watched a rerun of a game with Charlie, and I even had a tense moment with Bella when I tried to help her find a red blouse that she couldn't find. We had an apology moment and then we went back to me being the ever loving sister, and her being the Edward crazed creep.

It was late afternoon, right before we would leave with Charlie to go to the graduation ceremony that I got around to finding something to wear myself. And to do that I had to change species for a second, and clean up my room. I picked up the clothes first, and then the left over things from some art projects. When I picked up the suitcase a few memories hit me but I threw it into the closet and turned around. Something glittered in the sun of the window that I'd left open. It was setting now; it was almost time to go. There was something black that was hiding under my covers that were stripped off of the bed.

I was wearing a beautiful dress of white, so that I wouldn't have to change before I went to the party at the Cullen house. I walked to the glittering jewelry on the floor and when I picked it up, I froze. It was the bracelet that Jasper got me. It was still gorgeous, and it matched my skin. I slowly put it on my bed, and bent down to the black object I'd seen. It was a camera. I glanced at the bracelet. For once good memories of Jasper and I came back.

The feel of his skin, the warmth of his smile, and even the scent of him enveloping me. I turned the camera on and tears began to spring to my eyes as I looked at the pictures. One was of just Jasper, grinning at the camera, and tilting his head a bit. He looked magnificent with his hand in his pockets and the backdrop of what I knew to be real flowers. He was in his tux that he'd worn to our wedding, and I couldn't help but smile and nearly choke on my tears as I flipped to the next page. Now it was Jasper and I kissing with my borrowed veil pushed back, the old man who said our marriage standing under the arch. We were both smiling into the kiss, and my arm was around Jasper's shoulder and neck.

I flipped to the next picture. It was more playful. Jasper had me on his back and he was grinning back at me as I pretended that I was riding a horse. The next one was him pretending to fall, and me grabbing onto him in not faked fear.

The next picture was an official looking one, with us both looking at the camera, facing each other and our hands joined. After that we were in the hotel room. I was a vampire, and Jasper was kissing behind my ear and I was giggling, trying to get away from him.

When I flipped to the next one I let out a laugh.

It had been Jasper's idea. We'd mused our clothes, with a little help from each other, and we'd taken a poster board and written 'For Emmett' on it, and Jasper had my garter and underwear in his hand, while I had Jasper's tie and pants, grabbing them on him at the waist, in my hands.

The next one brought me to tears. It was Jasper kissing me sweetly as I took a moment to sleep on the ride home. I hadn't even known that he had taken that picture. My heart was filled with love for Jasper and I didn't have anywhere to direct it. I could barely breath I was so affected. These pictures had brought back feelings that I hadn't felt since Jasper and I had been together. I could remember everything I missed about him. It felt wonderfully overwhelming, my heart.

"Belle! It's time to go!" Charlie's voice came from outside. I glanced at the window, wiping away my tears and changing back human, I got up, putting on my robe and grabbing the hat that came with it. The graduation cap, whatever they call that. When I moved the bracelet twinkled in the light. I reached forward and put it on my wrist. It looked so good on, my bracelet. I hesitated only a second before I switched my wedding rings back onto my fingers, smiling and walking down the stairs, getting ready to go down to my graduation.

I would no doubt cause a scandal when everyone saw my wedding rings, but Jasper had been wearing his. There had been a great deal of speculation about it, including that the entire Cullen family had only left because Jasper had cheated on me and gone to get married to Edward. That was really sick, and it should have been obvious by Bella and Edward together that it was wrong but then they'd just replaced Edward with Alice. I nearly threw a fit about that one, even if at the time I had no right.

I nearly vibrated in the cruiser while Charlie was getting very sentimental. Bella was looking at me weird but I didn't mind. Bella had agreed that we should ride with Charlie to graduation. At first she had been, of course, going to drive with Edward but we'd decided that we should give him this.

Arriving at the graduation place, we didn't even get to see the Cullens before we got there. As they usually do, people had slowed down when they saw Charlie's cruiser. We weren't late, but we might as well be. We were shoved into our seats and told to stay still. Bella and I were next to each other, with Jessica Stanley sitting next to us. Until the graduation speech. As everyone was quiet, and Jessica was called to the front for her speech.

I looked around for Jasper. He was two rows back, with Alice. They were speaking to each other. Jasper seemed to be interrogating Alice, who was saying something. She caught my stare and winked. I knew she'd seen what happened. Alice wouldn't say anything or I hoped she wouldn't because I wanted to be the one to tell Jasper that I loved him. Jasper caught my eyes and I grinned at him. It only confused him more and he turned to Alice, whispering furiously with her.

"When we were five, they asked us what we wanted to be when we grew up." Jessica started. I turned to her, and sat up straight, even in this horrible graduation gown. "Our answers were things like astronauts, president…or in my case a princess." There was a group chuckle along the line. I glanced at Bella. Something still seemed to be bothering her, but what it could be I couldn't guess, I was amazed that she'd made it so long without freaking out on us.

"When we were ten, they asked us again and we answered, cowboy, rock star, or in my case a gold medalist." Jessica continued. She looked so nervous but I thought she was doing great; I even chuckled at her words. I reached over and wrapped my arm with my sisters. She smiled at me but I could tell that the speech was affecting her. "But now that we've grown up, they want a serious answer. Well, how 'bout this: who the hell knows?" There was laughing and cheering as Jessica delivered that line.

"This isn't the time to make hard and fast decisions; it's the time to make mistakes." Jessica stressed mistake. Bella's arm tightened around mine and I saw her face tighten. So that's what this is about. Rosalie's story had breached Bella's iron clad fortress of solitude, if you understood what I meant. "Take the wrong train and get stuck somewhere chill. Fall in love – a lot." Everyone laughed at that. "Major in philosophy, because there is no way to make a career out of that. Change your mind. And change it again because nothing is permanent." Jessica told us.

I smiled at her when her eyes landed hesitantly on me and then moved away.

"So make as many mistakes as you can. That way, someday, when they ask again what we want to be…we won't have to guess: we'll know." Jessica finished. Everyone cheered and I did, loudly. Soon I wouldn't have to worry about Jessica, and she needed this kind of encouragement.

As we were called onto the stage, with no farther words spoken, we had to go through lines. As one line ended, the next line of chairs would get up and we would wait. Bella went before me and Charlie got up, standing and whooping for his daughter, and he stayed up as I got my award. I turned to the crowd and winked while I shook the principal's hand. When I had to take a picture I grinned widely and kept walking, standing with the graduating people. I made sure that I was hanging on Bella when it happened. I was in a good mood right now.

As soon as we were dismissed the parents rushed the stage along with the rest of their families. I couldn't tell, but I think even Renee was here with Phil. I didn't bother with them. Instead I found my father and Bella, engulfing Charlie in my gown folds so that I could hug him. He laughed and caught me, only stumbling once. He clutched me to him, with Bella being brought into the equation.

"You two are my greatest accomplishments." Charlie was tearful, and I hugged tighter.

"Don't say that Dad." Bella answered, hugging him and me tight. I knew that she wanted to preserve her and Charlie's moment, the moment we were all a family. I sighed and grinned before releasing them.

Edward ended up driving us to the Cullen house. I didn't get to corner Jasper at all and talk to him, which I bet was Alice's plan. She'd seen something and she wasn't telling Jasper or I. I wonder if she was keeping him away from me because he was going to reject me? I had been so mean when I was mad at him. How many times had I hurt his feelings when I'd been avoiding him, or rejecting him?

My good mood was turning down hill fast. What if Jasper no longer wanted me? It had been a good bit since he had last tried. Had I been acting like one of those people who just assumed that they had their heart? What if Jasper really didn't love me anymore?

My heart constricted.

Edward took Bella and I to the diner, and I was the third wheel for a meal so I ended up scooting in to a seat beside some of Charlie's friends. They were nice and they told me old stories about Charlie, and even Renee. It was hilarious that Charlie had actually ridden a floor buffer to impress Renee. But I never stopped thinking about how Jasper would react. What if I put my feelings out there and he took the chance to hurt me again? I don't think I could take it again. I only managed the first time because I could focus on Bella.

When we arrived at the party it was indeed in full swing. Alice had come out, ranting about how this party was for Bella and that she should have took her with her. The place was lit up like it was a night club and I walked through the house watching all of the teenagers dancing all over each other. Of course there was no alcohol, though I'm sure some people had been shut down by Esme and Carlisle, who were home. If I were them I'd have snuck up the stairs. I didn't mind right now though. I was looking for Jasper. Even if he didn't love me, he deserved me telling him that I loved him.

I smiled when I finally saw him. He was standing uncomfortably beside Alice, who was chatting with people who were congratulating her and talking with her. He looked as magnificent as he always did with a black suite on, a black tie and a grey shirt on under it. My own white dress was gorgeous, and something that I'd picked out a long time ago. I was actually surprised that it still fit me. I'd been eating and feeding now, and I'm glad I had been. Now I would fit right with Jasper's frame again.

I licked my lips. He hadn't seen me and I had to get all the way across the room to him and I didn't want to look like an idiot getting over to him. So I took the long way. I followed through the long table with elegant cloth surrounding the food, past the tree with lights for leaves, which had not been there before, and walked around people that I'm not even sure went to school with us.

I was accosted, like I thought I would be by Angela and Jessica. They blathered on about how fun it was and how they loved this house. I quickly dismissed them, sending them after Bella instead of me. And then I walked to him.

When he realized that I was in front of him he looked down at me, and my short height. For a moment I didn't know what to say, how to tell him that I forgave him. His beautiful and expressive golden eyes were making me nervous and so that reminded me of Jasper's gift. I gathered all of the love that I'd felt when I found the pictures and shoved it mentally at him. Physically Jasper inhaled sharply and his eyes darkened, widening at the same time.

"Belle….?" Jasper whispered and he looked so hopeful, and lost. I smiled happily at him.

"Would you care to dance, Major?" I asked him, quietly and tilted my head to the side so my hair tumbled over the side of my bare shoulder. Jasper automatically took me by the hand and led me to the dance floor. I heard a squeal over the music and I glanced to the stairs where I could see Esme and Carlisle. Carlisle looked to be trying to calm down his excited wife.

I inhaled when Jasper put a respectful distance between us. He didn't understand yet. He held me with our arms in easy positions that you could slip more than just a piece of paper through. I tightened my resolve and I dropped Jasper's hand and shoulder. I'd danced enough that they'd automatically fallen into that position. I slid my hands up until they were wrapped tightly around Jasper's neck. Jasper floundered for a second before he wrapped his arms around my waist tightly.

The song was slow, which I bet was purposeful, and I swayed softly in Jasper's cool arms and I felt my breath mellow out and heighten all at the same time as I laid my head on his strong chest and closed my eyes. I didn't care for the whispering humans, or the vampires watching. I didn't even care that I was currently dying because of the feel of my Major pressed against me in all the right places.

"I…" Jasper pulled back to look down at me and he looked panicked, and I frowned. "I might be reading too much into this…." Jasper slowly said, searching for something in my eyes. "But…." He didn't seem to know how to get it out, and I understood what he wanted to ask without saying anything. So without saying anything, and putting my feelings back on the line, I stood on my tiptoes and locked my lips onto his in one of the sweetest kisses that I've ever experienced.

Jasper froze for a second before his hand traveled to my hair and he clutched my hair and head to him. I grinned when he turned the kiss more passionate and he embraced me so hard that I was beginning to think he was going to break my lungs. I distinctly heard the catcalls coming from the humans but I couldn't for the life of me stop, until I heard a whisper from Alice.

"If you don't stop now, you'll embarrass her."

Jasper froze again before moving back, grinning. I laughed and kissed him once on the bottom of his jaw before I grabbed his hand and pulled him away from the dance floor. He followed willingly and I laughed when Alice waved us away. I found a slightly cut off part of the house and pulled Jasper in to it.

"Belle, do you forgive me?" Jasper asked, holding my chin up so I looked into his eyes. His darkened eyes were half lidded and his eyes flitted from my mouth to my own lidded eyes. That had been the first time we'd kissed in months. I was breathing heavily, something I'd failed to notice before but I smiled at Jasper.

"I know I haven't been the best mate, and I've treated you horrible ever since you returned but…if you'll have me, I love you and I want to be with you forever." I told him, waiting for something. I didn't know what I expected but Jasper closed his eyes and inhaled before I was almost attacked. His hands went to my ass and he picked me up and pushed me against the wall, taking my lips again, shoving his tongue into my mouth. He was practically making love to me with his tongue and all I could do was melt into him, allowing my arms to go inside his suit jacket and to his back. I racked my nails down his back and he shuttered. I heard a cracking sound right next to me and I jumped.

Jasper pulled back and looked to the right of my head. I turned cautiously and laughed when I saw Jasper's hand had created a hole right by my head. "I don't want to be around when Esme finds that." I teased, pulling him back to my lips with my hands, tangling my fingers in his hair. As his ice cold lips met mine and his hands curved around my ass and pulled me against him, I finally felt alive. Jasper was my everything, and I had been away from him so long that I'd forgotten how much he meant to me.

Those pictures had reminded me that Jasper was more than just my other half, he was my soldier. He was the one who kept trying when I'd given up on us. He was the one who saved me from a life of loneliness and violence. Jasper was the one that pulled me out of that life and into one where people accepted me and loved me, a family.

Jasper that loved me, and was kissing me now, who was sneaking his hand up my dress and I squealed at the coldness of his hands on my overheated skin. And then he found my ticklish side. His mouth escaped to my neck as I started laughing hysterically. He gently dug his fingers into my side and I tried to get away from him, but he had his entire body against mine and I couldn't have gotten away if I really wanted. When I was pleasantly red in the face and a grin was in place Jasper removed his hand, taking a slow step back to let me slip down so that my feet touched the ground.

"Thank you." Jasper breathed and he smiled what I considered my smile. The one where that little scar pulled his lips down, and his eyes lit up with emotions of his own. "For giving me another chance." Jasper took both of my hands and kissed the backs of them. I smiled at him.

"Oh, it's not me giving you another chance, it's the other way. I can't imagine how much it must have hurt you to be with me like that." I confessed. I didn't want to sound like I thought too much of myself, but mates are mates.

"You love me again, that's all that matters to me." Jasper breathed kissing me again. I moaned and broke away so I could blink and swallow. Jasper smirked cockily at the effect he had, but I could see the happiness, and feel it, that was radiating from him. If everyone in this house wasn't the happiest they'd ever been then I'd eat a hat.

"I never stopped loving you Jasper, that wasn't what it was." I whispered, resting my forehead on his chest for a second. What I was going to admit was hard, and I didn't want to hurt him again but I didn't want him to think that I'd ever stopped loving him. "You had my heart the moment you spoke to me, if not the moment I saw you. I couldn't take it back if I wanted." I brushed my lips against his jaw as he swallowed and looked down at me.

"Then why…?" Jasper looked confused again. His brows came together and his mouth turned down adorably.

"Every time you'd touch me or I'd…think about forgiving you, I'd hear those words again. I couldn't get past them." I honestly admitted. Jasper shuttered and moved back another inch but I held on to his lapels, moving with him. "It doesn't matter anymore, Jasper, I love you and I forgive you for what you said. If you will, of course, forgive me for how I treated you?" I asked him, smiling hopefully.

"Yes, ma'am." He said, smiling with half of his mouth and his sexy Texan drawl. It looked as if he was trying not to smile but was smiling completely. It was a Texan smile that I'm guessing he'd never gotten rid of once he'd been changed. I let out a breath and laughed before I kissed him again, slowly and passionately. I missed the feel of his lips on mine, his body pressed against mine, that small current of love he sends me so that I know that I'm loved and appreciated.

"I love you Jasper." I breathed out as my lips were released for me to breath.

"I love you." Jasper swallowed and kissed my forehead. I know he didn't want me to see them but he had venom in his eyes, our tears. I pressed a kiss over where his heart used to beat to try and comfort him from the pain that I had created. I think I would always hate myself for causing him that pain, no matter how much I loved him. I was such a selfish creature.

"Belle!" Alice's frantic voice reached me. I turned to her, still wrapped in Jasper's grip. "Your wolfie friends are crashing my party!" She growled, glancing down at the floor. My eyes widened and my mouth opened.

"What?" I demanded, stepping away from Jasper, but taking his hand so I would always be connected to him. "How many of them?" I asked her, while Jasper growled lowly. I had not spoken to them since I'd run out of the house to go to Bella. I think that might be why they are here, unless it was Jacob himself that was in the group.

"It's just three of them. Jacob Black and two others that I don't recognize." Alice told me, I moaned and tapped my head on Jasper's shoulder.

"Did one look really angry and probably shaking? Most likely said some kind of snide comment about bloodsuckers?" I asked her. I prayed that Paul wasn't here. I don't want to think about what Jasper would do to him. I had tried my best to make sure that all of the Cullens understood that it was completely my fault, but after the burnt hand incident they had hated the wolves even more.

"Yes, but he looked like all the other mutts." Alice sneered. I rolled my eyes and exasperatedly sighed.

"That means he's here to check that I'm okay." I muttered, turning to Jasper and hesitating. "It's probably best that he _doesn't _get close to you." I laid my head on his chest. Jasper put his arm around my waist and tightened it. I could practically feel the growl coming from his chest.

"Why?" Jasper asked me.

"…he's not exactly your biggest fan." I said in way of explanation. It was explanation enough because Jasper's fingers flexed. But he did release me. I automatically missed his presence. It had been so long since I'd last touched him that I didn't want to split from him now.

"I'll be watching." Jasper comforted me, running his fingers along my cheekbone. My eyes fluttered in bliss and even a little lust as I again looked at Jasper's hair. Without my permission my lips pulled into a cool smirk.

"I love your new hair, by the way, Jasper." I told him, tugging on the ends of it. I sent him a particularly large amount of lust and Jasper's eyes tightened, releasing a groan that sent shivers down my own body. Alice actually looked disgusted for a second before she grabbed my hand, pulling me away from Jasper.

**WHOOOOAAA! And she forgives him! I know you've all been waiting for it and to tell you the truth when I finally got to this part I nearly pasted out from relief. I had no idea how hard it was to write two people like I did Jasper and Belle.**

**I hope you enjoyed it! I know some of my sentences weren't the best but I tried to make do with my erratic brain and I fixed the two bad ones that couldn't be saved.**


	7. An Argumental Truth

I pouted at being separated but that little line of love that Jasper was sending me didn't stop and it only made me radiate contentment and joy. I was so happy. I've never felt this happy before, well at any time that didn't have something to do with Jasper. I always felt wonderful with Jasper around. He made me feel special and like everything I had done in my life, all the people I've wronged, and the lives that I've ruined, didn't mean that I was never going to be a good person. He made me feel like I was making up for it.

Alice was still guiding me down the stairs but she was oddly quiet. I didn't miss Esme practically vibrating in Carlisle's arms, and both of their smiles at me. I also didn't miss Edward's cautious half smile at me, or Emmett's lecherous grin and Rosalie's happy, no giddy delight. I also didn't miss the three werewolves currently standing distractingly in front of Bella. I let go of Alice's hand and she shooed me down to them.

"Hey, mutts." I greeted. Paul's head whipped around to me and he grinned. I squealed, and laughed as he picked me up and spun me around. Then he eyed my hand. "Ah, I see you did find out about my hand." I told him, holding it up and turning it back and forth. He froze, scowling.

"You've got the leeches ring on again." Paul forced out behind his teeth, his eyes spoke of the betrayal. I'd tried to prepare him for this. I'd told him that we could never be. But like every wolf he could never take a warning and back off. He hadn't stood a chance, and I'd made sure that he'd known that.

"Yes, _Jasper _and I are together again." I told him, cautious of his reaction. He gave a shiver and I blinked at him, sighing. "Paul, I told you that I still loved him." I said softly, hoping that it would be drowned out from the people who were listening. Paul grunted and I winced for him.

"Yeah, you got that message across fine." Paul turned away from me and back to the others. They hadn't noticed my arrival and Jacob was still awkwardly apologizing to my sister. I quietly walked to stand beside Bella, getting away from the awkwardness of Paul staring at me and my rings in betrayed silence.

"-it was really just me….being an ass." Jacob sighed finally. I grinned to myself at Jacob's also awkward face. It didn't matter; nothing was going to get me down tonight. I was so happy and I don't want that to be ruined by the arrival of the wolves. No matter how much the Cullens hated the wolves. "I'm really sorry." I felt kind of awkward myself for bursting into their moment. I guess that couldn't be helped now, and plus Embry and Paul were on either side of Jacob so their moment wasn't private anyways.

"I brought you something." Jacob said, digging into his pocket. I'd made sure that no one else was giving us presents. I never got my own birthday presents, but I didn't really mind. I considered it too much of a hassle anyway to deal with the whole experience of presents. Bella had felt the same and so we'd stuck to each other, not getting gifts.

Now though I can say I was impressed. It wasn't because the gift was something I would like, such as my bracelet but more so that it looked like Jacob put a lot of effort into it. Like it came straight from the heart. It made my heart squeeze uncomfortably for the boy who would never be able to have Bella. I knew that no matter how hard he fought, Bella was going to stay with Edward.

"A graduation present, I made it myself." Jacob held it up for us to see. It was a wolf in the middle of howling and he was handing on to a chain bracelet. It was made out of some kind of wood that matched perfectly with the russet color of Jacob's wolf. I thought it was adorable that he'd made that, and extremely creative. Don't get me wrong, I'd stick with my bracelet any day, but this one just reminded me of Jacob before and after his transformation. Bella took it in her hand, just as impressed as I was.

"Wow," She turned it around in her hands while I kind of stuck to the side. This was Jacob and Bella's moment and I didn't want to ruin it. We were currently at the back of the house, away from the humans and their interferences. It was close to the bottom of the steps but far enough away that the humans would not hear our conversation if we were to start talking about something supernatural. "You made this?" Was it not obvious?

"It's really pretty. Thanks." Bella responded, looking into Jacob's happy face. Could she be any more awkward right now? I couldn't tell if she was still angry with him or not. I rolled my eyes and tried to find something to do not to make this more awkward, like smooth my mused dress and hair.

It was while I was doing so that Alice came bounding over to me but she stopped right beside me. She frowned and started spacing. She was having a vision. I grabbed her arm, taking her up against the wall so no one would notice her. Bella was intent in front of Alice, while the wolves were there just standing in confusion.

"Alice, what are you seeing?" I demanded of her. She was silent as her eyes narrowed and she clutched onto my hand, not hurting me but taking comfort in that what she was seeing wasn't real.

"The decisions been made." Alice told me, coming out her vision just enough to answer me. I took a breath.

"Are we going to Seattle?" I asked her, guessing that this is what she spoke of. I was wrong. Alice looked at me, meeting my eyes. That told me all that I needed to know about what she had seen. I would ask when later. For now I'd go find Jasper. He had to be correct that it was newborns, so he would know the most about it.

"What's going on?" Jacob asked, getting closer. I was annoyed that he interrupted me. I was trying to find out what was going on but I couldn't if he was going to interrupt me while I was finding out.

"Hold on." I told him, putting up a hand. "I need to speak with Jasper, if his theory is correct then we can…" I started walking away, to go find Jasper when suddenly Paul slammed his arm in front of me I flinched back.

"Tell us what's going on." I looked up at his towering, angry form.

And then suddenly Jasper was there. His face was ferocious and terrifying. Jasper looked at the arm, and I could tell that he was ready to kill the wolves. If they weren't careful he would. It was astounding to see Jasper so angry and, downright lethal, yet I felt a little lust hit me from seeing that my mate could protect himself and me if he needed to.

"I suggest you _remove your arm. _Before _I_ do." Jasper snarled, following the arm to look Paul in the eyes with the same expression on his face, never changing it. Paul stared at him for a second and I could honestly see the fear of Jasper in his eyes. Luckily for him he had brains enough to slowly remove his arm from in front of me. I took the step forward that I needed to be engulfed in Jasper's arms, and that's just what he did even if his watchful, hateful eyes never left Paul and the other wolves.

"Jasper, Alice has had a vision about the newborn army." I told him. He didn't move for a moment, still staring Paul down. I reached up on my tip toes and kissed the corner of his lips. "I'm fine now Jasper. Paul wouldn't intentionally hurt me." I told him, nuzzling my nose into Jasper's neck, gently finding my mark on his skin, right above his collarbone. I bit on it through his shirt and Jasper's breath caught, and he tugged me close to him.

"Let's gather the rest of the family, that way we can talk." Alice said, moving away with a little more speed then was human. I wrapped my arms around Jasper's waist and he kept one around my shoulders. I know that Bella was looking at us in surprise. She must not have seen us earlier, and was now only realizing why I'd been so excited before. I didn't bother with telling her anything, my actions spoke loud enough.

By the time that all of us got outside, to the balcony on the second floor, the rest of the Cullens were already there. No humans could see through or hear through the wall before it, because it was one of the few that weren't made up of glass.

"Alice, what did you see?" Esme was asking as Jasper and I sat down on the small table that was in the room, Bella and Edward sitting down on the other side. Carlisle was facing them, with the three wolves completing our circle, Rosalie and Emmett were still inside holding the cover of the party. It hit me a little that this is where Rosalie, Bella, and I had spoken before.

"They'll be here in four days." Alice responded, vibrating where she stood.

"This could turn into a blood bath." Carlisle sighed, sitting down on the table in between Edward and Bella, and me and Jasper. He looked like the weight of the world was on his shoulders. I could only guess that it was, seeing as how we were all depending on him as the lead of the coven. I couldn't do anything to comfort him really. I was only one vampire and with only four days heads up I couldn't do much of anything. I could how ever take on quite a few newborns, but with this few members on our side, and no known number on their side, we would undoubtedly have casualties. Especially since none of these people were trained for battle, even one such as a newborn battle.

"Who's behind it?" Edward finally asked. I'd actually like to know that as well. I looked Bella over. She seemed frightened and I wouldn't blame her for being. If I was a human and unable to protect myself, I'd be frightened as well. As of right now I was frightened that we were going to lose someone in the family.

Jasper had his arm still around my shoulders, and the other one was holding my hand. We were tangled in each other and I can't tell you how good it felt to smell his scent on me again, for everyone to know that Jasper was mine and I was his.

"I didn't see anyone I recognized." Alice told me, she was still half in her vision trying to find more information that me might need. "Maybe one." My eyes sharpened and I squeezed Jasper's hand, resting my head back on his shoulder.

"I know his face. He's local. Riley Biers." Edward told us, from reading Alice's mind. I can only guess how annoying and yet relieving that must be for Alice. To have someone else go over her thoughts to make sure she didn't miss anything. I was more curious about Riley Biers though. He'd been the one that Charlie had been looking for, and also the first to disappear in Seattle. "He didn't start this."

"Whoever did is staying out of the action." Alice told us. So she still couldn't see them.

"It must be your blind spots, in your vision." I told her, reaching out a hand and placing it on her shoulder in comfort. She nodded, sighing. I know how much it frustrated her; anyone could see it written all over her face.

"Either way," I could feel the rumbling in Jasper's chest as he spoke and an absent smile fell across my face. "The army is coming and there aren't enough of us to protect the town." Jasper let us know something that I had already thought of. Jacob, Paul, and Embry looked to be trying to catch up to what we were talking about and they seemed to be catching on fast.

"Hold up. What damn army?" Jacob asked.

"Newborns. Our kind." Carlisle informed them.

"What are they after?" Paul gruffly asked, still probably angry about before.

"They were passing around Bella's scent….and Belle's." Alice answered cautiously. My head, along with Jasper's, spun to look at her. "A red blouse, and a shirt, the one you wore when we first met you." Alice told me. I blinked and could feel the rising anger in my spine. I would kill them before they touched me, or Bella.

"Belle can no doubt take care of herself." Jacob dismissed. I turned to him, slightly pleased that he knew that, and half insulted. Jasper growled, completely insulted. I held him back though, placing one hand on his chest. "They're after Bella, what the hell does that mean?" I wanted to pout at him but he would get it from Paul to, because I could see him seething off to the side to.

"It means an ugly fight. With lives lost." I told Jacob softly. Jacob paused, and then looked to his pack members. My eyebrows furrowed as they had one of those secretive, quiet moments that the pack members always seem to have with each other. I would guess it's because they can read each other's minds when they are in wolf form, and there for understand each other better. The two pack members nodded to Jacob and Jacob turned back to us.

"All right. We're in." Jacob told us.

"What?" I blurted in surprise. "Don't you need Sam's approval for that?" I questioned, my eyebrows lifting. Even as I spoke I was figuring out what our chances were with them here. We would be unstoppable. The newborns wouldn't be expected the wolves and have no way of beating them, plus with our skill and knowledge of the newborns and the way they act, we can make the wolves even more deadly. If all of the wolves agree then we can beat the newborns, and hopefully whoever was really leading them.

"What, no. You'd get yourselves killed. No way." Bella responded over me, right away. I rolled my eyes at her. She's a human, what did she know about them? I mean I'd seen the wolves and I knew that they could hold their own, and with a little instruction on the way that newborns are different then we could probably help them out more.

"I wasn't asking for permission." Jacob told Bella and turned to me. "Sam would agree, as we'd be protecting Forks, and the Rez." He answered me and I nodded in understanding.

"Edward?" Bella demanded of her boyfriend, expecting him to back her up but Edward was looking at me. I met his eyes and for a moment something passed between us, understanding. We wanted to keep Bella safe, and not just her but the Cullens, even the entire town of Forks. It was better this way, to have so many people fighting.

"It means more protection for you." Edward argued, turning to Bella. I could see the pain in his eyes from having to say no to Bella. I could understand his pain, even if it was at a lower dosage to what I had felt. I had hurt Jasper like that; Edward didn't even understand the depths at which he could hurt from this.

"What are the chances that Sam will agree to an…understanding?" Carlisle implored. He was thinking like I was that the alpha had to agree to this. Carlisle was thinking of his family and I could see maybe just a little bit of that weight that had been on his shoulders had been taken off. He was feeling hope. I didn't need Jasper's gift to know what he was feeling, because I was feeling it to. I felt hope that we could win if this army came at us, and maybe now we won't lose anyone.

"As long as we get to kill _some _vampires." Jacob didn't really glare at Carlisle but it was mostly a restrained hate. Jacob had more than enough cause to hate the Cullen family. After all he was in love with Bella and as far as he is concerned we were taking her away from him.

"Jacob." I warned and he looked to me, and seemed as if he was remembering something.

"Jasper." Carlisle said to my husband. He was glaring at the wolves, somehow managing to intimidate all of them with his glare. I kissed his jaw, trying to get him to stop. He looked down at me and then over to Carlisle answering with what Carlisle wanted to know.

"They'll give us the numbers." Jasper moved his arm so he was only holding my hand, and we were still leaning back. I kept my hand with his; placing the other on the ledge we were leaning on so I didn't fall over. "Newborns won't know they even exist. That'll give us an edge." Jasper looked back down at me. So he'd come to the same conclusion that I had. When he half smiled at me, and looked into my eyes I couldn't help but to smile back at him and reach up on my toes to kiss his lips lightly.

I heard Paul's low growl but we all ignored it. He would have to get over it. I was with Jasper and if I could help it we'd never be apart again. Jasper deserved everything that was good about me. I would give it to him and pray that he didn't leave me for the things that were not so good.

"We'll need to coordinate." Carlisle searched the floor with his eyes, probably already coming up with a plan for training. He was always that efficient, a good leader if not a little to merciful. He'd have never made in the wars, but he was a good coven leader and a great father. He pushed off of the table and I watched Bella get up with him.

"Carlisle they're gonna get hurt." She tried to argue. She knew nothing of the way that either people worked. Too many people were trying to shield her. She'd never seen the vampires and werewolves at work in their natural habitat. Well, despite the James debacle. I don't count that, even if I lost myself a little bit when I took his head off. Carlisle, the sweet father that he was reassured her.

"We'll all need some training." Carlisle turned to her and then turned to Jasper. "Fighting newborns requires knowledge that Jasper has. You're welcome to join us." Most of that had been said to all of us, and with Jasper's nod. The last part had been said to Jacob instead.

"All right." Jacob was a little to chipper, as if we were talking about something as simple as breakfast. Although I'm sure he liked breakfast a little more. "Name the time and place." He looked at Bella in defiance. I however was not looking at Bella or Jacob. I was watching Jasper, wondering how he was feeling. He couldn't be too happy with having to revisit his past. He doesn't like who he was back then, and I can understand that.

"Jake, you don't know what you're getting yourself into." Bella desperately told him. So she really did love both of them. I glanced at Paul who was watching his pack mate. I'm glad that I had kept Paul as a friend, and hadn't given him the idea that I could love him, that I did. I could never love him more than a friend. I looked at Jasper.

I guess Jasper was my Edward. If we were in their place I like to think that I'd chose Jasper. I know I would. I might have chosen Bella over Jasper once, but I've grown too attached to Jasper to ever have to choose again. Bella and I weren't close any more and I didn't really understand her. All I knew was that I was in love with Jasper and I'd chose him in a heartbeat, though I'd probably have stayed angry at him for another decade if I'd followed him.

"Bella," I could tell by what Jacob was about to say that Bella wasn't going to be happy with whatever it was. "This is what we do. You should be happy. Look at us, working together. You are the one who wanted us to get along. Remember?" Paul's eyes found me and I smirked in amusement. I had been saying that all along, and I was taking it much better then Bella seemed to be. I wonder how far my sister and I had drifted apart.

Jasper's hand squeezed mine carefully and I looked up at him, smiling when I saw the concern there. Jasper was defiantly the only chose I wanted to have. He was my very existence. And he made everything better, we fit together and I wanted to make him better. I wanted to spend my eternity with him so that we could both make each other better. Without each other we were broken and soulless, and with each other we were one. Clichéd but I thought it fit.

"I think that Belle should accompany us." Embry spoke up. I looked at him in surprise, while Jasper let loose another ferocious growl. I held him back with a guarding hand on his chest.

"Why?" I asked them, curious.

"It'll go better with you there. If it's just Jacob he'll get yelled at for going ahead without permission, and if he thinks he's just protecting the Cullens then he won't agree." Embry explained his reasoning and I had to admit that sounded a lot like Sam. Jasper felt my decision and he slumped a little. We'd be separated again.

"All right. Just give me a moment." I told them, shooing them off. They left, at least until the bottom of the stairs, at the front door. The Cullens nodded to each other, and me and Jasper but didn't stay. I turned to Jasper when we were as alone as we were going to get. He looked like a stone, until he looked down at me.

"I don't want you to go." Jasper muttered, bending down and kissing me. I felt love and contentment being held against him, kissed by him. I stood in between his legs and kissed him, opening my mouth so he could take all of me that he could here in public. But I had to end our kiss before I would be too far gone to stop.

"I don't want to go either." I muttered, leaning my head against Jasper's forehead. He was so handsome, smart, and kind. He was everything I wanted in a mate and I couldn't possibly wish for anyone else. Happy. That's what I was.

"Then don't. Let the mutts take the heat." Jasper growled. I opened my eyes to stare into his, moving back an inch so I could.

"I can't, Jasper. If this is going to work then I'm probably going to end up as mediator." I told him, cupping his cheek in my hand, running my finger under his golden eyes. It felt so marvelous to touch him at last. I'd missed doing so because I loved him, and thought he was pretty handsome. It had been hard keeping my hands off of Jasper. He felt my spike of lust and laughed hollowly.

"I won't tell you what you can and can't do. But I don't have to like it." Jasper teased me.

"Am I that obvious in my distaste with being told what to do?" I asked Jasper, grinning at him. He pressed his lips to mine in a quick, but heartwarming kiss.

"You were." Jasper affirmed, and then released me sharply. "Go on then. If we wait any longer the mutt will come up here." Jasper glanced down where I could see said mutts waiting in disgust. I rolled my eyes, and just to spite them, I slowly wrapped my arms around Jasper's neck, bringing both my legs slowly up his until they wrapped around his waist. His arms went to hold me against him, making sure I didn't fall. Tangling one of my hands in his hair I wished my mate good bye with a heated kiss to his lips, my tongue slipping teasingly into Jasper's mouth.

"Don't forget me while I'm gone." I muttered, kissing him again. Jasper's hand's tightened where he held me and he groaned at the same time that I did because the pressure was delicious.

And then I stopped kissing him, dropping to the ground. Jasper's eyes opened and he stared at me in confusion. I grinned at him saucily. "Love you!" I chirped, doing a splendid mock Alice and I dashed back into the house, avoiding being stopped by anyone so I could get down to the waiting group of werewolves. When I did reach them they didn't say anything, all seemingly disgusted with me. Typical men. Silently they got into the car that they came in. It was surprising but it shouldn't have been. They were all wearing clothes, shirts, shoes, the whole package. The car would have come with all of that.

"Why should we help?" Sam's voice rose, demanding an answer as he looked down at me, shaking. I'd come in to explain, first having Sam call a meeting so that everyone was here. It wasn't hard, since they all had to come running at the alpha's call. Once they were all here I explained what was going on.

"Sam, it's not just the Cullen family at risk here. I'm at risk to, and if that isn't enough for you, and Bella's life isn't, the people of Forks are also at risk. The reservation could be at risk. I've told you about newborns. We are our most uncontrollable, vicious, strongest when our own blood runs through our veins." I explained to him, using my hands to explain to him.

"This is not our fault, our problem. We can protect the reservation and let all of your people die." Quil snarled, shaking. They all practically were. It made me long for Jasper back. I couldn't hope to intimidate them as they were.

"You could. But then then it gets out, and it will, more vampires, very powerful and gifted vampires will come after you." I sighed, rubbing my forehead. "I know you don't like the Cullens, but really we are the most humane vampires you will find. At least this way you'll be taking out human drinkers, and without any consequences." I pleaded. They were still cautious, angry. "Please, guys. I've done everything you've asked of me, and I've never hurt any of you. I want to protect my coven, my family, just as much as any of you would want to protect your family."

Sam looked me in the eyes. I couldn't believe that I was lowering my pride to plead with someone but I was doing it for a good reason and it would all be better. I was a good person and I just wanted to make sure that Bella was safe. Or at least I hope I was a good person. Plus, as I've said many times over, I wasn't just protecting Bella by getting them to agree to this.

The pack nodded to each other and moved to the other side of the room, leaving me to wait on their decision. I decided to give them time to themselves, as they obviously wanted. Jacob was on the defense, that much I could tell, but I moved instead to the kitchen where Emily stood with a plate of food waiting. I took one of the muffins, moaning in pleasure as the blueberries melted on my tongue.

"God, Emily your muffins are like heaven on earth." I complimented around the food in my mouth. She grinned for a second before wrinkling her nose in disgust.

"You've been hanging out with the pack for too long." She complained, handing me a towel. I sheepishly wiped my mouth off, and chewed my food before I spoke again.

"Apparently not enough. I've got to beg to get them to protect a human." I complained and Emily smiled at me, rolling her eyes.

"Don't worry. They'll say yes. They're just being ignoramuses." Emily said a little louder and when the pack turned to us, she glared at Sam in a fashion I knew well. It's the one the wife always gives to the husband when she thinks he's being stupid and he should just do what she tells him. I thought those two couldn't get any more adorable.

"We've decided to help. We'll be at the training." Sam said, and it sounded like it came from his wolf instead of him as he walked to wrap his arm around Emily's shoulders. I brightened.

"Good." I brightened.

"They said tomorrow, in the afternoon, would be a good time for them." Jacob spoke up. I looked to him. Carlisle must have set it up while I was talking to Jasper earlier. I shouldn't be that surprised that they'd taken the initiative.

"All right, then I can return and then meet you there as well." I decided, smiling at them but they shifted guiltily. My eyes narrowed and I began to scowl, as did Emily.

"You didn't tell her?" Emily demanded, hitting Sam with her hand lightly. It wouldn't have mattered, she wouldn't have hurt them.

"Tell me what?" I asked cautiously. Emily huffed and turned to me.

"They had been planning on taking you back here, to the reservation, after the party anyways. The muffins were my way of saying happy graduation." Emily explained. My eyebrow furrowed. "Charlie already thinks you are staying here with me and Sam. We were going to throw you a happy graduation, movie night, kind of party." She kept going. I blinked and couldn't decide whether I was happy or angry.

"….I can't decide whether to hit you or thank you." I finally told the pack. "But I have to call the Cullen's regardless." I sighed, throwing my hands up. "I don't have a phone in this dress either." I muttered.

"You can use Sam and I's." Emily said, taking the home phone off of the pole.

"Fabulous." I grimaced, and then turned to them. "What movie are we watching?" I asked them, widening my eyes. This time they all smirked, looking at one another. "What?"

"We were going to watch Dracula." Leah finally spoke up. I stared blankly at her for a second before I laughed in delight. I hadn't seen that movie in years. I couldn't imagine what it would be like with the pack surrounding me. No doubt full of jokes and insults. Not to mention Emily's popcorn.

"Fine, go put it in the player. I'm going to call home." I looked down at the phone as they moved to the living room, Emily winking at me before following after them. I put the phone to my ear; quietly waiting for the conversation that I knew was coming.

"Cullen household." I heard Esme chime. I could practically feel the mother vibes she was throwing off.

"Esme." I greeted. She stayed silent for a moment before I felt her do something to the phone.

"I've put it on speaker, so that you can hear the whole family." Esme informed me. I felt my mouth twitch at her considerate gesture.

"Belle?" Jasper questioned. "Are you coming home?" This one was a little more desperate. So the distance was affecting him as much as it was me. His voice, even distorted as it was over the phone, still sounded like honey covered Texan sex.

"Uh…not exactly." I hesitantly told him. There was a pause of silence before a snarl.

"We'll come get you." Emmett promised I could only guess what was happening over there. It only hit me what they would think: that the wolves had kidnapped me.

"No, no." I hastily told them. "It's not like that. The wolves have agreed to fight with us. It's just that they want to throw me my own graduation party, a little movie night." I told them trying to make sure they didn't break the treaty over something this small. "They've already told Charlie. I just thought that I could spend the night here and come to training tomorrow." There was more silence, and then muttered voices. I felt as if I was asking permission or something.

"It's okay, I'm fine." Jasper suddenly said to someone. I frowned and had the desperate urge to run over there. "We'll be waiting for you at the training sight….have…have a good time?" Jasper almost asked me. I felt love for the man swell in my heart again. Even though he didn't want me to, and the entire family didn't want me to, Jasper supported me.

"Thank you! I promise, no burnt hands when I come back." I told him and then I smirked. "Of course….I am surrounded by men…." I sighed wistfully. Jasper snarled and I laughed. "I'll be thinking of you, Major!" The phone clicked as I hung it up, smiling.

The rest of the night was spent thinking about my Jasper and how much I really couldn't believe the things humans thought about vampires as I watched Dracula.

**I hope you enjoyed it. I was supposed to tack something on here but I can't remember…..A lot of people been asking me questions. You'll just have to wait! There were a lot of reviews out after that last chapter and I'm really happy everyone likes this story. It'll be over soon and that makes me a little sad, and a little not.**

**My next story out **_**should **_**be my Ironman story but I'm making no promises because I'm slowly becoming more obsessed with The Hobbit and Lord Of The Rings (Again) the more I see Aidan Turner's face. He's my walking aquamenti charm guys. I'm telling you it's meant to be!**


	8. An Army

Turns out I had to run with the wolves to get to the training sight.

After we finished watching Dracula, we'd popped in another vampire movie to make fun of, instead this time I also got to make fun of the wolves. We'd watched Van Helsing. It was hilarious to watch their faces during the movie. Or well most of it. Emily fell asleep during the beginning of Van Helsing, and I fell asleep somewhere in the middle.

I'd stayed asleep for hours. It had taken Jacob and Paul singing some crappy pop song to me to get me up, and that had only been to throw them out of the room that I'd been carried to. After that I took a shower and helped Emily around the house, and Kim came over.

Now, I was of course running through the forest alongside the wolves. I had been allowed to turn on the reservation, which I found a surprise that I'd finally earned that much trust from them. It was also enjoyable. To run alongside the wolves was not just pleasurable but exhilarating. We played tag, which was amusing because I was just as fast as them and they were annoyed by it. Leah of course had won with Jacob following behind her. We'd only stopped when we'd hit the scent of the Cullens trail. We followed it to a hill. It was obvious that they were over it.

I could honestly say that I jumped over the hill, flipped and landed at the end of the hill. The moment my feet hit the ground Jasper was in front of me, checking me over for more injuries. I let him have his fun, before I pulled him in for a kiss.

"I'm fine." I grinned at him, wiggling my eyebrows. "I missed you." He responded with holding me close to him and burying his head in my long, unbundled hair. I giggled and moved us both back as the pack came over the hill. He muttered nonsense into my hair, before looking up at the wolves with a steely gaze. I only rolled my eyes, nodding at Carlisle.

"They don't trust us enough to be in their human forms." Edward translated. The wolves were indeed angry looking. It was a far cry from a few seconds ago when they'd been playful and speed demons.

"Hey, they came didn't they?" I defended them. Carlisle nodded to me while Jasper smirked into my hair a little. He still had one arm around me, and our sides were pressed together. I felt a thrill to be held in Jasper's arms again and I smiled as that undercurrent of love returned. It was enlightening to feel how much he loved me.

"Right." Carlisle stepped closer to them, out in the front. It was a common symbol that he was the leader. I gladly let him have those reins, even though I was the eldest out of everyone here. "Will you translate?" Carlisle said to Edward. I swept a hand to hold onto Jasper's back as well, keeping him with me. He was wearing a tight fitting black jacket that teased me with the promise of muscle under it, and his almost white jeans didn't help though they were very gorgeous on him.

Edward left Bella's side to come a few paces with Carlisle.

Bella wasn't unprotected. Esme stepped to one of her sides, and Alice to the other. It didn't pass my mind to protect her from the pack, and apparently it didn't pass Bella's either as she whispered a greeting to Jacob.

"Welcome." Carlisle started, and he was holding something. What it was I wasn't sure but it was some kind of black material. I was just happy to be once again a vampire, if only for a little while. It was my natural state and was more comfortable then my human form, if only slightly so. "Jasper," Carlisle waved back to him, half turning and then turning back, never losing sight of the wolves. "Has experience with newborns. He'll teach us how to defeat them."

I had told them about how newborns acted, but I hadn't shown them. Words would never be enough for them.

"They said that Belle told them some about newborns." Edward said, looking at me. I saw all of the vampires eyes turn to me and I shrugged.

"That's why I was allowed on the reservation. It was a mutual agreement that they needed to know about vampires….I was a little….uncaring back then." I admitted. Jasper's hand on my back stiffened, and so did his back. What wasn't already stiff. I imagine we made quite a pair. It was instinct for my back to stay straight because of being born into royalty, and Jasper had learnt it from being in the military.

"It's different then just hearing her explain it." Jasper started. "Newborns differ from us." Jasper released me to step forward and begin teaching. I watched his every move. They were graceful, like all vampires were but there was something lethal behind his movements. Showing everyone that he was a vampire that shouldn't be messed with, as if the scars weren't hint enough for vampires. "That's why they are created." He stretched the word. "They are more powerful, instinctual then we are."

"A newborn army doesn't need thousands like a human army." Jasper continued "But no human army could stand against them." He paused a moment. He held his hands behind his back, but when he finished speaking he turned to look behind us so that not only was he addressing the wolves but us as well. Or more the Cullen family.

As much as I hated it, and feared the family knowing, I had my own share of memories, and training, with newborns. I didn't want to mention it, or remember it so it was best to act as if I knew nothing. Though I would not lie if asked, I didn't necessarily have to tell them everything.

"Now, the two most important things to remember are, first," Jasper started his instructions, pacing in between the vampires, and the wolves. Against my brains wishes, my instincts were on high. The wolves may like me, but Jasper was not high on their like list. It made me question whether the wolves would hurt him or not. "_Never _let them get their arms around you. They'll crush you instantly. And second, never go for the obvious kill." Jasper finally said, slowing down so everyone understood the importance of this.

I in fact did. There were many people that have died that way, going for something obvious, thinking that the vampires were too young to understand. "They'll be expecting that and you will _lose_." Jasper continued and then turned around to us. "Emmett!" Both Emmett and Jasper walked past us, though Jasper's eyes caught mine. I winked at him in silent support. Together Jasper and Emmett got a good distance away from each other, and Jasper took his arms from behind him.

Emmett looked ready to take Jasper down while Jasper himself was just smirking at Emmett. Jasper was in his element. I envied that he could just switch it on and not be in any danger of killing anyone here. I guess the southern newborn armies hadn't been like my own. They were nothing like the Egyptian wars, but the Roman Armada, newborns, had been a vicious cut throat thing. I was ruthless in either and known for both – and more. If I were to try, I can't imagine that I wouldn't treat these people like I would any other vampire. It was not like a switch with me. It was like a dam that once broken you couldn't fix until something life destroying had already happened.

"Don't hold back." Jasper told Emmett, egging him on.

"Not in my nature." Emmett growled, getting down into a crouch. There was a pause before he started off, too fast for human eyes at Jasper. Jasper smirked and opened his arms, catching Emmett. It was a good start, to use Emmett. He was the most like a newborn and there for easier to explain it to people what to do.

Jasper did catch Emmett, who used his strength to throw Jasper, who twisted and landed on his feet. He set off and sped off at Emmett. When he reached him, Emmett threw a punch but Jasper was quicker. He spun around and grasped his neck, throwing him to the ground. "Never lose focus." I think I'm going to die from lust.

Jasper felt it and his head rose from looking down at Emmett to grin at me playfully. Cheeky vampire. Jasper went through Emmett a few more times, showing everyone how it was done, giving both Emmett and the group of us a few pointers. I even learnt one thing that was better than my own thinking, to use the momentum of your flip to take someone down. Jasper hadn't per say done that, but it had been an observation of my own.

Jasper was a good trainer, a good Major and I'd have followed him into battle if I'd have had to. I also would have made him my second-in-command although I'd never thought to change out my second in command before. Jasper was very good, and it was easy to tell why Maria, his creator, had kept him around.

Edward and Carlisle went up against each other next. With Edward being the mind reader, it was easy for him to see what was coming next, but Carlisle had also spent the most time with Edward and knew best how to block his mind from Edward. The fight started with a head nod from Carlisle.

They ran at each other at the same time but while Edward leapt at Carlisle, the coven leader went under. They skidded apart and Jasper called for them to restart. They did, stirring up dust. This time when they ran at each other it turned into a lock of arms, then Carlisle knocking Edward off of him. Jasper stayed close, observing and telling them new things to try and things that the newborns would try in a situation.

Carlisle swung at Edward, but Edward read his mind and swiped under it, pulling his other arm when it came up, throwing it back so that he could slam Carlisle down to the ground. He grinned satisfied to have beaten his father figure. He rose, looking to Jasper for instruction. Jasper didn't disappoint.

"One more thing." Jasper told him, walking to Edward. Carlisle grabbed Edward's leg, pulling him down. "Never turn your back on your enemy." Jasper said down to the two tumbling boys. I giggled and watched them fight around on the ground.

The next round, Rosalie and Jasper fought. Rosalie calmly walked to stand in front of Jasper. Jasper gave the nod, signaling the start. Rose was the first to act, swinging her arm at Jasper's head and he dipped under it with a grace of a skilled fighter, coming back up at once. Rose tried again in a quick succession and Jasper managed to hit her down but she flipped, landing ready on her feet.

Then that fight was over, Jasper looked to Alice, nodding. I was a little curious as to how Alice would do. She was after all the littlest Cullen member. She was wonderful. Even I couldn't follow all of her movements, though Jasper did. He of course beat her as he was still the most skilled in fighting among them. She could barely be seen though, and moved like a cheerleader, which was so Alice that I should have suspected it. I always knew she was too peppy to be anything but a cheerleader.

I did notice, or more like I got distracted, when Jacob came up to Bella, in complete wolf form. He was just as gorgeous in wolf form as the others, and I pouted. I'd had pets as a Queen, unique pets to, but I'd never had a dog or a wolf to be more exact. I bet they would be nice.

I almost missed, in my fantasizing about having a wolf for a pet that everyone was looking at me. Jasper was standing out by himself now with no opponent.

"What?" I questioned in confusion. Everyone gave a small laugh and I realized that I'd missed something.

"It's your turn, darlin'." The amused Jasper told me, probably repeated. His smile soon dropped. I'm guessing from my anxiety. I did not want to put on a show for everyone. It would remind me too much of the Egyptian wars, and that was a mindset I did not want to get back in. Once a Queen always a Queen, but once a warrior, death will always follow you.

"Actually." I stared, thinking of something quick. If I was reacting this way just to the training, how was I going to act with the battle came? "I was thinking that instead of fighting, since we have enough members to take care of the battle. Someone needs to be there to protect Bella, besides Seth – No offense buddy." I interjected in a desperate attempt to ignore that I didn't want to fight. I think everyone knew that I was making it up, especially Jasper.

"I think that's a good idea." Edward interrupted anything that Jasper might have said as he looked at me. Our eyes meet and I was conflicted. I really didn't want to start liking Edward but he was the only one who was agreeing with me right now, not that anyone else had said anything. "She's old enough to have experience enough to fight so if it comes down to a last resort, then Belle can protect Bella." He reasoned for us. I think an understanding pasted between us, again.

"If she has so much experience, maybe she can teach us something." Jasper argued, coming forward to stand in front of me. He was curious, and a little angry. I didn't know why but I would bet that it was because he didn't know why I was doing what I was doing. Or it could be his mating instinct that I was not going to be able to protect myself.

"Uh, no you've covered everything." I nervously said. It was obvious now, and Jasper's eyes furrowed. One of the wolves growled and I looked to see Paul step forward, meeting my eyes with his basketball sized one. I half smiled at him but looked back at Jasper. "I just….I don't want to talk about it. It's just a bad idea for me to fight." I tried to explain.

"That's fine." Carlisle spoke up, nodding his head at me. I was glad that someone had said something, though Jasper looked as if he wasn't going to let this go. I'd tell him if he really wanted to know, but after he heard it I'm sure he wouldn't want to know any more. It wasn't a pretty story, and just the reminder of it in my brain, the crystal clear memories of the time, made me sick. "Bella might need someone to protect her, should a newborn get away from us."

"Thank you." I muttered, backing up a little as Jasper turned away from me to continue fighting. He motioned for someone to come fight with him again, though I didn't miss his glance back at me. It promised questions. I stayed where I was, swallowing. To distract myself I listened to Bella speak to the wolf Jacob.

"Some of you are going to get hurt." She muttered to Jacob. "Some of you could get killed because of me." I'll never know if she wanted me to stay behind, since I'd already offered as it is. I kind of don't care right now. I'm more worried about my own problem.

I want to be there with the family, to protect and fight with them. Letting Jasper go and fight by himself, without me to watch him, was a hard thing to think of. But so was watching his face as he found out just how lethal I can be. Some days, like today, I miss the time when I'd still held my Egyptian spirit, when I didn't think of myself as a disgusting waste of space. I guess having to kill my son kind of made me rethink my image of myself.

"It's gonna be a 100 times worse than this, right?" She asked him, bringing me out of my depressing thoughts. I didn't understand what she was asking him. If she was asking if the fighting was going to be worse than this, yes. It would in some ways. In others even more so. But we were all capable, probably, of surviving. Even now, that I wasn't fighting there was only the normal worry one would feel when a mate was going into battle without you.

I watched, with a slight smirk as Jacob bent his head and let Bella scratch his head. I wonder if that really feels good to him, or if he was just taking pitty on her. Slowly, approaching with enough warning for Jacob, Edward made his way to Bella. I turned away to see Jasper waiting silently by my side.

"We're done for now." Jasper told me, quietly threading his fingers into mine. I smiled at him, glancing down his frame only once for injuries but he was fine. Over Jasper's shoulder I could see the wolves disappear and I butted Jasper's shoulder lightly with my forehead.

"Take me home?" I quietly asked him. Jasper kissed the side of my head and started walking, our hands still entangled. Together we walked by the jeep, going at a human pace towards Charlie's house. Maybe now that Jasper and I were together we could finally get that house alone. Although, it was also after graduation so I bet we'd be moving to Alaska soon, to go be around the Denali family while Bella was in her newborn years.

It just so happened that while we were walking past, Bella stopped us, the ever curious human.

"Hey, Jasper." She caught our attention. "Are you two sure there's nothing I can do to help?" Bella was quiet, and I spied Edward a little ways away from us, speaking with the rest of the family about something. I didn't bother to ease drop on the conversation.

"Well, your presence alone, your scent, will distract the newborns." Jasper replied. I glowered at him and he looked to me fleetingly. "Their hunting instinct will take over and drive them crazy." I started to see his point.

"We could take her to the place that is best for the fight, spread her scent around so they catch it." I nodded, smiling at Jasper. True, that was under the list of statements that I didn't want to hear, but it was a good idea and I couldn't fault his reasoning. Before now, Jasper and Bella had never spoken long enough to get to know each other. I think that just registered in my mind. How odd that my sister and husband had not corresponded a lot.

"Good, I'm glad to help." Bella smiled and I smiled back at her. Jasper nodded at her and we took another step, thinking the conversation was over but Bella stopped us again.

"Jasper," Bella said and Jasper turned his head again to see her. I turned over his shoulder. "How do you know so much about this?" She asked and Jasper turned to me, raising his eyebrow.

"You didn't tell her?" Jasper whispered to me, his mouth twitching up.

"I figured it was your story. Plus, I've never heard it all in one go." I teased him, reaching up and kissing his cheek.

"I didn't have…quite the same upbringing as my adopted siblings." Jasper turned us completely back to Bella, acknowledging that she wanted to hear Jasper's story. Jasper pushed his jacket's arms up to his elbow, so that Bella could see the bite marks on his pale skin. They were like raised light purple-ish marks, noticeable against his white skin. I reached my hand up to run it along one and Jasper looked at me with half lidded eyes.

He'd been so ashamed of his bites when I'd seen them. I loved them though. I loved scars themselves, and with Jasper it just made me love them even more. Every single mark on his body told me of how Jasper had lived through a time where he had to survive and he did. It showed me that Jasper could take care of himself, and could make it through tough times. Not to mention that I had a certain thing for scars, blonde chin length hair, and southern accents.

"Those bites are like mine." Bella said breaking up our moment. In some way that I had not noticed, Jasper and I's eyes had connected. It would have been blasphemy for me to hate Jasper for his scars anyways. I had plenty of scars on my body, though not as many as he.

"Battle scars." Jasper told her, his southern accent coming out. Bella had stepped forward, her human eyes not as good as my own had not allowed her to see them from where she stood. Jasper's smile, the one where he's all Texan and only half of his mouth is smiling. I felt a special kind of heat engulf me and Jasper's eyes darkened, and glanced at me. I meet them with a smirk of my own. "All the training the Confederate Army gave me was useless against the newborns." Jasper started his story still holding my eyes.

"Still, he never lost a fight." I added on for him. I remembered being impressed when he'd told me. It was very rare that we went undefeated, but most of the time when we did get defeated we were killed, we being vampires. Jasper took my hand and started us walking to a more comfortable spot to sit. Bella followed us, interested in Jasper's story. I found it rather fascinating myself. It had been my favorite part of my life, that time era. I hadn't done anything meaningful but it was one of the times that I didn't have to worry too much, but not too little. I'd been almost normal.

"This happened during the Civil War?" Bella asked Jasper, her eyebrows going up her forehead in disbelief and awe.

"I was the youngest major in the Texas cavalry, all without seeing any real battle." Jasper looked off, while we walked, finding somewhere so as not to bother the others to much, and so that Bella could sit down and listen to Jasper's story.

"Until?" Bella asked, raising one eyebrow.

"Til I met a certain immortal." Jasper looked off into the forest. "Maria." We found a spot to sit down, and Bella did so while Jasper continued to stand. I stepped into his arms, allowing me the glory of standing in his arms, and at the same time giving him some comfort.

"I was riding back to Galveston after evacuating a column of women and children when I saw them." Jasper looked at Bella, meeting her eyes but I wasn't sure if he saw her as he swallowed back his venom. No one's story was perfect; there was never a nice one. It seemed everyone who was a vampire, never had a pleasant life as a human. "I immediately offered them my aid, there were three of them. They whispered words to each other, as if I could not hear them. Even though I still offered them my aid, I knew something was wrong about them. I remember they wanted my name, and I gave it." Jasper half smiled at what he thought was foolish. He could not have known that they were vampires.

"Maria was creating an army?" Bella guessed, gathering that much from what she had already gathered. I bet it was obvious now that she had seen his training of the others.

"They were very common in the south at that time." Jasper told her, blinking. His golden eyes were half here, half not. "There were constant brutal battles for territory. Maria won them all. She was smart, careful, and she had me." Jasper's arms tightened around me and in response I tightened mine around his narrow waist. I knew this was a time before he knew me and I was not jealous that he had a relationship before me.

"I was her second in command. My ability to control emotions served her well." Jasper glanced down at me and I smiled up at him. "I trained her newborns, an endless occupation since she never let them live beyond their first year. It was my job to dispose of them…." He seemed pained, remembering it. I reached up his back, tangling a hand in his hair. "I could _feel _everything they felt. I thought what Maria and I had was love. But I was just her puppet. She pulled the strings." I kissed his jaw, trying to comfort him though I lacked his gift. The constant stream of love strengthened and a sense of gratitude came from him.

"I didn't know there was another way till I found Alice, or more she saw me." Jasper's mouth tilted. "She was in a diner, and when I came in she just seemed to know everything about me. Told me that she would lead me to a different way of life, to my mate." I was surprised and Jasper grinned at me.

"You two kept me waiting long enough." I joked, laughing. Jasper chuckled lightly.

"My apologizes, ma'am." He kissed me, grinning. "I don't know where I'd be if Alice hadn't brought me to you." Jasper told me, looking in my eyes. I could only imagine that it was an awkward situation for Bella but I didn't care one bit as I met Jasper's eyes and felt his projected emotions of love and gratitude. I'd have to thank Alice in some way. Maybe I'd let her plan us a wedding someday.

I vaguely heard Alice's squeal and a shout of yes from Alice's direction. I laughed and kissed Jasper's mouth. "You aren't that person any more, Jasper." I told him when his mouth split from mine.

"What about you?" Bella asked me. I turned my head from Jasper, looking at her in surprise. "You're three thousand years old, were you in any wars?" Bella questioned me. My mouth tilted in remembrance.

"Any human wars? Yes." I told her even though I knew she wanted to know if I was in any vampire wars. "I distinctly remember being there for the American war. I loved it, as did my companion of the time. We split after it but we made quite a name for ourselves, as the Ghosts." I remembered. It had been only a hilarious way for us to pass the time. "We picked a place in the woods, a new one every month, and helped the militia by taking out the enemy. It was very funny." My mouth twitched. "Especially when they thought me a present from God." I snorted while Jasper chuckled. Bella looked half confused and half amused.

"Who was your…companion?" Bella asked me.

I remembered him clearly, brown hair and crimson eyes, sharp features, very handsome.

"Ah, it doesn't matter anymore." I waved it off. Suddenly Edward was there beside Bella, nodding at Jasper and I for keeping her happy while he was away. I nodded at him. "Can you tell Charlie that I'm spending the night with the Cullens?" I asked her. She nodded, saying a goodbye to us. Jasper waved at her hesitantly as he turned to me. I met him, smiling at his face of slight, adorable confusion.

"I was hoping that we could go to the cliff?" I asked him, pouting in hopes that he would say yes. He bent his head, kissing my protruding bottom lip, dragging it into his mouth with his teeth. I moaned and pulled back, letting out a breath. "Jeez, Emmett's in the vicinity." I complained, moving back. He watched me, like a predator. I winked at him and grinned. "I'll race you!" I turned, getting a head start.

It didn't matter. We were a good twenty five miles or so from the cliff, and still with my head start Jasper won, faster than me. I laughed as he tackled me, tangling us up in the center of the cliff, and we tumbled a few feet, with Jasper over me and my back against the grass. I let out a breath and his own breath, warm to me in this form and scenting of the blood he drinks, a bear I believe, and a beautiful just Jasper smell, flooded over me. I watched as slowly his eyes darkened.

"So," I cut off his lust, just to get him back for winning. "How _did _you escape Maria?" I questioned him, teasing him by making sure my lips brushed against his when I spoke. He groaned, capturing my lips for a second and my breath caught in my throat as he fell on top of me, putting all of his weight right where it needed to be.

"Peter, someone who escaped first came back with his mate and took me away with them." Jasper explained, rushed. I took in a breath as he rubbed against me. "Why did you refuse to train?" Jasper asked, his mouth attached to my neck. I froze, all lust leaving me in a hurry. I gulped, my eyes widened, and Jasper's head snapped up in surprise. He must not have expected such a severe reaction. He took his weight off of me, rolling over and sitting up. I did as well, watching his face as it turned worried, but still an honestly determined curious.

"I….I don't like to talk about my past. I'm sure you've noticed." I slowly stated. I wouldn't lie to him, and I wouldn't tell him a lie.

"I want to know." Jasper whispered, watching my face closely. The penetrating gaze made me look away. I looked over the cliff, flitting over so I could sit on the edge. Jasper quickly followed, taking my hand. I moved our conjoined hands into my lap, staring at them so I wouldn't have to watch Jasper's face. He ruined my plan by sweetly taking my chin and turning me to see his concerned face. He leaned forward, kissing me lightly on the lips but a spark of desire ran through me, just like it always did when our cold lips met. "I want to know everything about you." Jasper whispered against my lips. I moved back, looking in his eyes, for some hint of something.

"It's not a pretty story." I repeated from before. "I've never had a good life, one like now where nothing violent marred it." I told him slowly.

"I want to know." He in turn repeated to me. "You comforted me not an hour ago, when I told Bella and you my story." He pointed out. I twitched before breathing out.

"I told you before; I was a Queen in my time. I-I had a husband who didn't treat me right." I took a deep breath.

"Tell me." Jasper begged for details.

"Why?" I questioned. "You don't need to know about him." I desperately didn't want to talk about him. This story was already going to be horrible, and adding details about Amenhotep wouldn't help anything. It would just make it worse for not just me but Jasper to.

"I don't want to be like him. I want to know what to avoid, so that I can show you that I'm not him." Jasper told me. It reminded me of what I said during _that _argument and I cringed.

"I didn't mean that." I told Jasper. "You weren't like Amenhotep." Jasper kissed my forehead softly. Feeling his love for me, as if it was my own love, made me give in. "I was a foreign princess and my parents were wonderful rulers, but we'd fallen on hard times. Nothing would grow on our lands, and I remember that my mother was incapable of bearing more children. I don't remember their names, or where I was from. I only remember that I'd been part of a bargain, to join our people with those of Egypt's lands." I remembered.

"We only met a few times before the actual wedding took place. He seemed fine, handsome even, when we had met. I was infatuated with him, just a crush as I was too young then to understand love. He was an older man, years ahead of me. I stood no chance. The wedding itself was splendid, with flowers having been brought in from the royal gardens, and linen of the finest weave being part of my dress. I even wore the headdress of the Queen of Egypt." I sighed.

"**You look beautiful, Nefertiti." Amenhotep whispered to me, smiling charmingly. His brown eyes were gorgeously lined with kohl. I couldn't believe I was marrying the king of Egypt, such a fine member of a race of prosperous people. My mother was so proud of me, and my father finally looked at me with eyes of acknowledgement.**

"Nothing prepared me for the night of which he first turned evil. I'd come into his office, or what they call it now, and I had been bringing him his favorite wine. I was always a good watcher, I already knew much of not only the Queen's duties but the Pharaoh's as well." A dry sob made its way through my throat and Jasper squeezed my hand, but remained silent. "She was there with him. She was not as gorgeous as I had been. In my time I was considered like Rosalie, the most beautiful maiden to be found."

"**Nefertiti, you understand why I am angry, don't you?"**

"**I came in without asking my Pharaoh, I apologize." I answered, lying still on the floor, his handprint still stinging on my cheek. The woman stood behind him, smirking at me. I glared at her, earning a satisfied grin from Amenhotep. Gone was the man I thought I married and in his place was this monster.**

"**That's right, love. Now leave us. We have to discuss our marriage." Amenhotep turned back to the nameless woman. I kept my mouth shut. I knew why he was doing this. I had yet to give him a child of the male gender. He was looking for an heir. Or so I hoped. Maybe now that he had her he would not come to me in the night.**

"It was the first time I realized that Amenhotep had other wives, other women at his call. He'd kept me sheltered from the Egyptian way of life until then. I wasn't un-smart. I spent all of my time from then on with our children, raising them, and my step son Tut. If I wasn't spending time with them I was watching, learning how to rule this new land." I smiled tightly. "I was very ambitious." Then my smile dropped. "I made it a few months before he forced himself upon me. Then it became a frequent thing."

"**Don't you love me, Nefertiti? Aren't I kind to you? Don't I give you everything you have ever wanted? I let you keep the children?"**

"**Yes, my Lord."**

"When I still again refused him he killed Meketaten, making it look as an accident would. I knew though, because his beads were there. They were special made by me for his day of birth." I was lost in memories that had long since vanished from my mind before this day. "On one of the days of the sacred preparation for my daughter's death I wondered into the garden, never to wander out a human again. The first man's blood I took was my husbands." I looked to Jasper, my mouth still pulled into a frown. Jasper's weren't much better, his face dark.

"I wish I had been there, to save you." Jasper's voice was quiet. I chuckled weakly.

"You weren't even born yet Jasper." I scolded. "After that I spent many years still in my human life, as this wasn't so abnormal, all of these vampire qualities, to humans. But when I did escape into the vampire world, it was in anger. Tut stole my crown from me, the title of Pharaoh out of his own selfishness. Right after I had turned him on his own request." I shook.

"I was filled with rage. I found people to teach me to fight vampires. I took anything anyone trained me with and amplified it. I was an increasingly vicious and lethal killing machine. There was a war, one I don't wish to remember, and Tut was killed, via me." I swallowed again and Jasper pulled me against him. "It's the reason, among others, that I don't like to fight. I fear that I'll go back to the me I was during those days." I looked out over the view that the cliff offered and avoided Jasper's gaze. He wouldn't allow it though.

"Do you want to talk about it?" Jasper questioned, but he was sensitive. Everything about him told me that I didn't have to tell him and that was probably for the best. I didn't want to burden him with this, and I didn't want to drudge it up any more than it already was.

"Not particularly no." I answered. I saw the hurt flash on Jasper's face and I winced. "It's not that I don't trust you. I just…I don't want to remember that time. Ever." I shivered. "I've already remembered enough for now to make me feel as if I was back in that place again. I don't want to remember the war. I was not the same person then and we'll all be better off if I don't ever become that person again." I was rambling a little bit too much and I was stopped by Jasper who dropped down to kiss me, his hand cupped my cheek and I felt the love practically seeping from his hand into my body, slowly flying through my bodies.

"I understand." Jasper told me, running his nose along mine, meeting my watering eyes with his own. "You don't have to explain to me what happened. You are older than me and have seen more evils then I have. I can't ask you to replay those memories for me as entertainment." Jasper suddenly smirked and a mischevious glint entered his eyes. "Of course, soon the entertainment will be Bella and Edward." Jasper said, moving just a bit back.

"How so?" I asked, already knowing that Alice must have told him something. He smirked at me.

"It seems that soon Bella will be propositioning Edward for sex." Jasper told me. My face must have been funny because Jasper's chest vibrated with laughter. I grinned and my eyes darkened as I watched him throw his head back and laugh, his throat trembling with his laughter, and his chest strong with his mirth. I reached forward, lightly biting on him right over my mark. His laughter choked to a stop, turning into a moan of delight. Biting someone as your mate can be very pleasurable.

"Tell me Major Whitlock have you ever made love to a human?" I teased him, and his eyes darkened as I used my gift to make me human, sprawling out on the grass. He growled once before sliding over me, kissing me deeply.

It had been too long.

**Yay! They had a moment and you guys got to find out about some of her past that you may not have known before. It'll be even more in the next few chapters.**


	9. An Elephant

I can barely walk. Jasper was helping me, a great sense of pride and amusement waving off of him but I scowled at anyone who dared crack a smile at me. Don't get me wrong, it was as wonderful as everything with Jasper is but I had no idea that he would want to go for so long. I had been a human for the first time, but then I'd had to change and then earlier this morning, or day, for the last two times this morning I was human. I was practically walking bowlegged.

At least we knew that human and vampire sex is possible. Or at least for Jasper and I. I didn't know, or want to know, if Edward was…different in bed then his brother but I imagine that he'll read all he needs to know about it from Jasper who was currently supporting most of my weight. Emmett had already tried to crack a joke and had found himself being met with both Jasper and I's glare. Jasper, while proud of himself because he'd held back and well…he was a man and he liked to 'mark his territory' every way he could I guess, was also upset that I was hurt.

As of right now we were walking to meet Bella and Edward in the spot that they were going to be fighting the newborn army. I was pleased to see that they even had a spot for the wolves to come out, in a form of surprise attack on the army. And then of course the pleased expression left my face when Edward promptly arrived with my sister.

"Bella and I have decided that I will stay out of the fight." Edward announced, and then he hesitated looking at me. "Bella figured out that Victoria is leading the army." He told me. At once my anger rose at just the thought of Victoria, and to think she was stupid enough to lead an army against me, even a newborn.

Jasper supported me, in the comfort kind as he was already supporting most of my weight. But seeing as I weighed so little it didn't really bother him. I would be fine if he just slung me up in his arms and just kept me to himself, but we did have things to do if only for a moment.

"How would Alice not have seen her?" I asked, my eyebrows furrowing in rage.

"We think that she's letting someone else make the shots for her, maybe Riley." Edward told me I nodded, while I noticed that Bella was eyeing me in concern. I did look almost hurt, seriously hurt but I winked at her.

"Don't worry Bella, Jasper and I were just practicing for you and Edward." I teased her. As predicted her cheeks flushed red, along with the rest of her face and some of her neck. I wanted to grin. "Wow, I see why Emmett likes to tease you so much." I noted lightly. Bella opened her mouth to answer, while Edward and Jasper were mind melding, I can just see Edward wincing as I'm guessing Jasper was trying to help him but was seeing me and him just minutes ago. Bella never got to talk, because Jacob arrived, snarking Edward after he found out that he wasn't fighting.

"This field will give us an advantage in battle. We can lure the newborns with Bella's scent, but it needs to end here." Jasper tried to explain to Jacob, getting the topic off of Edward and Jacob's severe dislike for each other.

"Edward, Belle, and I are going to a campsite. But even if one of them carries me, they'll pick up my scent." Bella explained farther, but I eyed Jacob in distaste. I still didn't forgive him, at least for now.

"Your smell, however, is revolting." Edward made his angry comeback, glaring at Jacob who growled in warning but I rolled my eyes.

"Dude, you really don't want to compare stinks." Jacob took a step forward. He wasn't shaking but he wasn't exactly calm either. I would have to watch him if he was going to get this angry every time that Edward came around. I sighed and grimaced. My stomach was hurting. But strangely enough it wasn't the hungry kind of hurting. How strange.

"He _means _that your scent will cover mine if you carry-" Bella hurriedly stepped in-between them to break another fight between the two. That was something Bella was always doing, not physically so much but she was defiantly emotionally. It made me snicker a little, even though I knew they thought me to be in a bad mood, though I'm sure that Bella was a little scared by what I said.

"Done." Jacob answered, not even waiting for Bella to finish her sentence.

"This is a bad idea." Edward turned to Jasper scowling. Jasper was quick to reassure him.

"Edward, they don't even want to get close to his…odor." Jasper said, sneering at Jacob. I again rolled my eyes, smacking him lightly on his chest. One of his arms rested on my waist and my arm rested on his arm, the other clutching his hand as I tried not to cause pain in my bruises and my…self. I'd been going to change, but Jasper had stared at my bruises with such pride, that he had marked me, and that I'd refrained. He'd been kind of worried, and guilty that he'd caused them but I'd set him straight.

"Let's just test it." Bella said, trying to sooth Edward. They had a moment, not unlike one that Jasper and I had shared, where they met each other's eyes, before Edward nodded, moving back from Bella and Jacob moved forward. She extended her arms to the grinning wolf and he successfully and effortlessly takes her up into his arms and starts jogging off in a different direction from us, with Edward's instructions to run.

We gave them a few memories, and Jasper and I muttered together, thinking up new things that could work. But then Jasper rested me down, watching with worry for my injuries to take effect but I waved him off. It was healing fast, either that or I was getting used to it. After that Jasper went off after Jacob's scent and I sighed, watching him go.

"Are you worried about him?" Edward asked me. I turned to him, having almost forgot he was there as I'd been watching Jasper's body disappear into the distance.

"I am." I muttered, taking a cautious step to stand beside the man I'd only recently begun to forgive. "I worry every time Jasper is out of my sight, just like you do with Bella." I noted, eyeing him. He looked beaten down but a vampire beaten down is still very intimidating.

"I meant with the fight." Edward turned from where we were both watching the forest and I turned as well, looking at the haunted vampire.

"Yes. My mate is experienced though." I told him, blinking and nodding slowly. "Jasper has fought this kind of war many times and those memories never fade. We can put them in boxes in our minds and hope for them to fade, but it'll always open up again. For humans they can forget or the memories fade. I don't think Bella relishes her humanity as she should." I swallowed, sighing and rubbing my hip.

"Are you hurting from…..?" Edward looked at me, a bit pained.

"Yeah, a little but it's worth it to know I'm loved." I told him, ruffling my hair and grinning slightly at Edward. "Relax. If Jasper can do it I'm sure you can do it. Jasper had to deal with a lot more then you had to and he still made it through with me only having minor bruises." I grinned in both triumph and delight. Edward was silent for a moment. We were now looking back to the forest.

"Thank you, for this." Edward told me and without thinking a snort of laughter left my nose and he looked to me for an explanation.

"I hate to tell your all-important self this but I didn't do it for you." I told him, rolling my eyes. "I did it for Jasper. He needs to know that he's loved, and not just loved for him now, but him all the time. You people look at him like it's his fault that he can't control his thirst. Jasper can handle his blood thirst; he just has to deal with all the other vampires thirst as well, and varying degrees of it." I tried to explain Jasper's problem. Edward's brow furrowed and his lips pursed.

"I know that you don't like me. And I know I deserve everything you are giving me." Edward turned to face me and I nodded, seeing Jacob slowly coming out of the woods again with Bella. "But I think Bella would be happier if it wasn't just the wolves and us who got a long." My mouth pulled up into a knowing smirk. He didn't want Bella to be any kind of unhappy and for that small favor I could forgive him, until his next mess up at least.

"All right I forgive you, but remember I _don't _forget." I warned him, and he nodded with a flash of determination crossing his face before he went to Bella. I stood where I was, again glancing to the way Jasper had come. He was back. He was walking but at the same time his eyes met mine and together we looked over one another.

To think having a mate meant I would be worried about them every time they left my side. It made me wonder if that was a part of being in love with him or being mated to him. Jasper seemed pleased that I wasn't hurting as much as before, because now I was able to stand on both legs and feel no pain. I think it was just the discomfort of me having something in me for that long.

I shuttered, and walked cautiously to the group trying to get my mind off of my dirty thoughts.

"All I picked up was wolf stench." Jasper told us as he reached us after stepping off of a large log that had fallen to the side. "No Bella." Jasper told us, putting his arm around my waist in comfort and I leant into his body subconsciously. It felt glorious that he welcomed me back into his arms. What was I thinking keeping myself from my Major for so long? Edward nodded but it was small, and it was also obvious that he still had something on his mind past what we had spoken of.

"This will work." I told him softly, and Jasper raised an eyebrow at my soft tone being aimed at Edward. I guess it really wasn't that hard to forgive Edward. I had been holding it against him for a while. He deserved it and even Edward himself thought so.

"Great." Edward muttered, glancing down at Bella who was silent, as well as Jacob.

"Come on, Eddie boy." I grinned at him as he flashed his eyes in annoyance at me. "Let's get Bella over to the house so we can meet Alice." I told him, pulling out of Jasper's arms to grab his hand and lead him to Bella's car. I hadn't driven here as both Jasper and I had run here, or Jasper had carried me is a better explanation. I slipped into the back and Jasper surprisingly came with me, grinning at my surprise. I rolled my eyes and instead of worrying over a seatbelt I wiggled over to Jasper's lap and pulled, or he allowed me to, pull his arms over my lap. For all intents and purposes Jasper was now my seatbelt.

There was barely talking at all, because Bella was thinking about something, and Edward was watching her, thinking as well. It only made me mutter things about how I hated the silence, so Jasper would start up a conversation with me or my sister. Until we arrived at Charlie's house. When we did arrive it was to see Alice and Dad coming down the stairs to meet us talking to one another and Dad didn't look like he wanted to shoot someone, like he did when Edward was over.

Bella got out first, as Jasper squeezed my hip right over one of his hand prints and I winced. "You might want to give me your jacket." I whispered to Jasper who blinked in confusion so I explained. "I don't think my Dad would be too happy if he saw your handprints on me." I told him. Jasper nodded his eyes lighting up in understanding as he shed his jacket, helping me into it while we still stood in the truck bed. After having it on I jumped down, with Jasper's steadying hands helping me. Then he followed carelessly, laughing at my pout.

"It's not fair." I whined, following him so he could greet Charlie with a handshake between men. Dad even threw a hand on Jasper's shoulder. He was so happy that Jasper and I were finally back together.

"So how did the night with Rosalie go?" Dad asked me and I almost froze up, not understanding what he was talking about but I grinned at him and stepped up to the challenge.

"Oh you know, as great as every other night with the Cullen family all in one big group." I teased Jasper and he mock scowled down at me. "We watched some movies, and Rosalie did her hair a little." I told him. "We talked…girl things." I smirked as Charlie automatically back tracked.

"Right, girl things." He whispered it as if I'd said Voldemort's name. "Did Rosalie tell you about the trip this weekend?" Charlie asked me and Jasper was the one to step in, though Alice had been quietly, almost to low for me to hear, to Jasper.

"Actually I'd been just coming to ask her if she wanted to go with us." Jasper smiled, tight and yet not. It was odd.

"Of course." I automatically answered. There was a pause and I grinned sheepishly. "What is it?" I asked, more like muttered and Jasper looked at me with affectionate amusement on his face. I just wanted to spend more time with him and with the Cullens though I'm sure I've spent a long time with the family, and the Pack but I'd spent very little of that time with Charlie. It was probably for the best. Any day now I'd have to leave him to take care of a newborn Bella.

"You know how much we love to hike?" Jasper questioned me; leaning down to kiss me on the nose and I wrinkled it in reflex. "Well we are going this weekend and Alice doesn't want to go so she invited you and Bella to go have a sleepover with her." Jasper told me. I grinned slyly and stepped on my tiptoes to kiss him, just because I could.

"I'd love to keep you and Bella company." I told Alice, smiling but then looking to my father. "Of course, if it's all right with Dad?" I asked him but he waved me away.

"You're grown up enough now I think it's hardly appropriate for you to ask me. Plus I'm going to be gone fishing all weekend with Billy." Charlie waved goodbye to me and Bella who was now standing with us, Edward having at some point driven off. I waved him away as well, grinning at Alice. She winked at me and Bella.

"Come on, Bella." I pulled her along as Alice explained what she missed. I pouted when I realized that there were only two seats in the Porsche. "I'm driving!" I announced, holding out my hand to Alice who gladly put them in my hands, nodding and winking at me as Charlie finally closed the door. I climbed into the Porsche, turning the key in the ignition and sighing in pleasure at the sound of it.

"Did it hurt?" Bella finally demanded. My eyes rose and I looked at her in surprise. Alice had already zoomed into the tree line. I could guess what Bella was talking about. She'd seen the bruises and how much I was hurting. I rolled my eyes at Bella.

"Way to be subtle about it." I complained, kicking the car in to high gear not worry about much but I did keep it within a human's view as that was what I was right now. And plus Bella was in the car and I think Edward wouldn't be pleased with me if we got into a wreck and she didn't make it out completely uninjured. He'd still be mad then. I wouldn't blame him of course.

"Belle?" I blinked and turned to Bella. I'd completely forgotten about her question.

"Yeah it hurt. I'm not even going to sugar coat it." I told her, turning the car. "It hurt enough for me to want to cry, but I didn't because well…" At this part I smirked lewdly and Bella groaned. "Jasper kind of kept my mind off of the pain. I didn't even feel it until he mentioned the bruises." I told her, and I grinned at the memories of his hard grip on my panting body while he'd been as delicious as ever. "It all depends on your pain tolerance and how….good….Edward makes it for you."

"He'll be good." Bella automatically returned, not thinking. I turned my head to her and slowly her cheeks flushed, though she didn't turn her gaze away. I laughed loudly, even as I pulled into the driveway of the Cullen house where Alice was waiting, smiling at me. It was night time now, which wasn't much of a stretch because it had already been late in the day before we came to the battle scene. It would only make sense that we would come here next.

"Hey, Belle." Alice sang as I got out of the car, dropping the keys into her hand.

"It drives like a dream, Alice." I complimented and she smiled appreciatively at me.

"Come on, then slow poke!" Alice said, dancing almost to the end of the forest line. "The rest of us are going to go feed so that we can be all pumped up for the battle. Would you like to come with us?" Alice asked me and Bella came into view, hesitating at the door of the house where I could see Edward waiting. I thought about it. I wasn't really thirsty and I wasn't going to battle.

"I think I'll just spend this night with myself." I told her, nodding to her. She frowned and so did Bella and I smirked. I knew exactly what Bella was thinking. How could I not when she'd asked me about sex just moments before we arrived. "Can I borrow your car again? I was thinking about going out and getting some new clothes?" I asked her as an excuse. Alice nodded throwing the keys back to me and I fumbled with them a second before I walked back to the car.

"Have a good night." I halfheartedly told both Bella and Alice who was probably gone by now as she was no longer within the visible view of the road.

Contrary to what you may believe, I did spend the day shopping. I shopped for all kinds of things, not just clothes. I wanted new clothes because I didn't have any that really flattered me. I had funny shirts and tight jeans, but I didn't have any blouses that would really show off what I had, and now I had a reason to show off what I have, Jasper. It made me giggle a lot in the store and I even went so far as to visit a lingerie store, just in case. But I was really just spending time out because I didn't want to go home. I couldn't go to Charlie's and the Cullens was Bella and Edward's territory for tonight. I had nowhere to go but the wolves and I'm sure that as soon as my future disappeared I'd get a call from Alice.

So instead I took my credit card and spent the night getting a massage, which was a little awkward because the massager could see my bruises, and then slept at a hotel, being sure that Alice could see my decision. And when I fell asleep in one of the best hotels in Seattle, which was where I went, I was peaceful but not perfect.

No perfect came at maybe three in the morning when Jasper joined me in my bed of the hotel, whispering to me about Alice seeing me. I'd muttered and rolled over onto his chest so I could return to dream land and the beautiful dream of dwarves and hobbits that I was having.

But I didn't.

"**Did you miss me, Nefertiti?" Amenhotep was standing over me. I looked around in surprise. How did I get here? I was a human but it was the imperfect human that I had been and I could remember where we were. I knew it was the office I'd found Amenhotep and her**__**in. The hieroglyphics of my time were everywhere, the sandy rock pillars in the room large. I could see everything as it used to be, including my aggressor. "Or should I call you Belle now?" He sneered, grabbing my neck and pulling me up with nary a flex of his muscles.**

"**Oh you do so love your new husband don't you?" He purred. Amenhotep was too close to my face and I could feel my breath sharpening on its way out as I tried to breathe through the tightness of his grip on my throat. "He can never measure up to me, why would he want to? He will take one look at you and see me all over you." Amenhotep threw me onto the ground and I felt the familiar sickening in my stomach as I heard the sound of the ties on his royal clothing being stripped.**

"**No." I muttered, trying to get away from him but that only made it worse as I began to shake. He slammed his foot into my stomach, stopping me in my place and he grinned, bearing all of his white teeth at me.**

"**You are pathetic, and vile. Who could ever want you after all **_**you've **_**done?" **

"Belle!"

I sat bolt upright in the hotel bed, shivering and clutching the blanket. I couldn't think staright past my dream –nightmare – and I breathed in sharply as if his grip really had been on my throat. I could see a body before me and I panicked for a moment more before familiar blonde hair and pale chest.

Jasper.

I remember vaguely him arriving at some point and then I'd tried to go back to sleep. He was wearing only a pair of jeans and he was watching me, worry in his golden gaze as it rested on me. He looked as gorgeous as ever, even when he didn't understand why I was upset. He pulled me into his arms when he realized I had stopped freaking out. The feel of his cold arms washed away the nightmare and I buried my head in his shoulder, keeping tears about. My subconscious hadn't let me forget the worries of the night before.

"It's all right, I'm here." Jasper whispered to my ear, telling me that I was loved and he was here for me no matter what the matter was. I didn't want to break down in front of him again. I'd done it at least once before and I didn't want to do it again. But I couldn't control my own emotions like Jasper could so I shivered in his arms, dragging the blankets farther upon us and lying back, still engulfed in his arms.

"I'm sorry." I muttered, replacing my head on his chest. "I had a bad dream."

"Do you want to talk about it?" He eyes me over, as if I was going to start panicking again which I wouldn't put past myself at this moment in time. I wasn't tired and yet I was at the same time, but strangely enough my stomach still hurt, like Amenhotep had really slammed his foot down there. Which was strange because it was only a dream.

"I dreamt of Amenhotep." I whispered softly to Jasper's scarred chest. Immediately the arms around me tightened and he tensed.

"I shouldn't have made you talk about it." Jasper's voice was pained and I looked up to his face but it was whipped clean of any emotion that he was feeling. I wiggled my arms free from his arms and cradled his indifferent face in my hands, scouting up so that I could kiss his forehead.

"You deserved to know about it." I told Jasper. "I'm just happy that you didn't see me then. I was so…broken." I winced , wrapping my arms around my Jasper's shoulders.

"I should have been there. If I'd just-"

"What? Been born earlier? Honestly Jasper nothing is your fault." I exasperatedly laughed. But Jasper didn't laugh with me, he only shuttered and I realized there was something deeper there that I wasn't understanding. Jasper looked up to me from the edge of the pillow and I scouted down, all my attention on him. He took his time telling me what was wrong, moving a strand of hair out of my face first.

"I-I," Jasper swallowed and I could see the tears in his eyes and I was so worried that I'd done something wrong, that Jasper was hurting. What could be wrong. "I just…I can't stand to think of you hurting because of something that I could have helped." He stopped me from speaking by a finger on my mouth and I exhaled sharply as he moved it to stroke my lips as he spoke. "I keep thinking of when we came back and you were so…broken. I felt like I was hurting you the same way your husband had, even before I knew what he had really done. I can't forget the sight of you so _thin, _as if you were a skeleton walking." Jasper shuttered, losing his eyes. I rested my head on his forehead.

"Every time I saw you I couldn't think of anything else but how much I had hurt you. I was obsessed with trying to make you better, to show you that I loved you and I felt so terrible about what I did. To make you chose…" Jasper's shoulders slumped against me and he squeezed me carefully to him.

"Hey," I softly interjected, brushing my fingers over his pale cheek. He opened his eyes. "It's all right Jasper. That's behind us. I've gained the weight back and I know you love me. You never let me forget." I half-smiled and the current of love that was almost subconscious to me now strengthened and expanded. I chuckled and felt the tears in my eyes and I kissed him on his mouth and I shivered as his tongue met mine.

"It doesn't matter. Just knowing that you were once so _thin _because of me, it'll always haunt me." Jasper muttered. I half-think that he didn't want me to hear it as it was said on the whisper of the breath. His hand ghosted over my side and I let a breath out and smiled at him.

"I can only pray that one day you'll forgive me for hurting you – and haunting you." I muttered, kissing him sweetly on the lips. Jasper smiled into the kiss, one hand resting in my hair and the other just above the curve of my backside. That was until it went dangerously lower and I was suddenly pressed against the steel of Jasper's front.

"You know," Jasper purred to me. "Mars is bright to night."

It took me a second to remember what he was getting at. It was the memory of that first baseball game. The one where I'd been lusting playfully after Jasper, before I'd even really comprehended that I was in love with more than just the blonde man's hair.

**Jasper walked up to the plate next. He did some twirl thing with the bat, but it looked awesome. It was weird; he twirled it then caught then twirled it back to the right position. Note to self: Take lessons from Jasper on bat twirling. He bent down and I took a peek at his ass. You know…I was never an ass person but I could try it if he keeps putting it out there to look at for me. I sighed out a little, soft enough they didn't hear it but, hey that's a bonus for me, right?**

**I watched as he cracked the ball sending it flying Rosalie's way. She chased after it, and we waited for it to be thrown back. Emmett crossed the home run plate just in time before the ball was back in Alice's hand again. Jasper hit the third base. I clapped my hands together as Carlisle stepped up again. He hit it but this time Rosalie caught it, and threw it to Esme at home run and she got Jasper. I was getting excited. They said that they only play one round, where each team gets a term. We were winning to! Carlisle got to first base, but at least Jasper hadn't gotten another score.**

**I laughed and whopped along with the other girls as we got close to winning. One more out, and we would win! Jasper snorted and walked away peacefully, and I was happy to watch his ass as he walked. "Nefertiti! Focus!" Alice called back and I moved my eyes to the sky as fast as possible so no one could tell I was looking at Jasper. I was smirking though, so that was probably giving me away.**

"**My bad, you know…uh…" I searched for something to say before I got it. "You know Mars is bright tonight!" I chimed, quoting a centaur off of Harry Potter. Alice laughed, while the others didn't seem to get it, they just took it in stride.**

I couldn't help but let out a laugh at that. "Do you even know what that is from?" I asked him, giggling. Jasper grinned at me, squeezing his hand.

"Yes. Alice told me." Jasper grinned at me and then rolled me over. "I was very intrigued as to _what _you were doing to get out of focus to." Jasper ran his lips along my neck, teasingly until they barely brushed against my own. I swallowed and kept my eyes on the ceiling. Jasper gave me one final kiss before resting on beside me again. I hadn't wanted to say anything but I didn't feel just wonderful. My vaginal area still hurt, and for some odd reason the weird twist I could feel in my stomach wasn't going away and I didn't know what it was.

"Is something wrong?" Jasper wondered and I realized that I hadn't taken my absent gaze off of the ceiling and I turned my eyes to him, smiling softly.

"I'm just still sleepy. Do you mind if I sleep?" I asked Jasper, curling into his chest when he opened his arms without a word. Instead he pulled up the blankets that had somehow gotten tangled at our knees. I was wearing a cute little pajama set that I'd just bought and I smirked when Jasper's hand lingered on my hip before I was perfectly warm on my back, and cool where Jasper laid beneath me.

I softly fell to sleep, and this time I had no nightmare with Jasper's love being constantly on my mind, and in my own emotions being reflected.

FLUFF!


	10. An Appetizer

The next day Jasper and I arrived late. Today the people heading to the campsite were heading out. Jasper wouldn't be going with me, and that seemed to put him on edge. I guess he wanted to be split from me as much as I wanted to be as split from him. We didn't say any words as the others waited for us to split. Jasper and I just stared into each other's eyes, before I gathered all the strength I had, putting his eyes in my memory before I started off to Edward and Jacob's group, with Bella looking uncomfortable standing between them.

"Are we ready?" I asked quietly, already missing Jasper's arms. I'd slept in them for longer then I should have, and Jasper didn't have the heart to wake me so of course I'd overslept. That would be okay. We could make it up by being speedy to the campsite. Of course Edward and I were going to be running separate from Bella and Jacob. Bella had already made a path to the battlefield with Edward being close watch. I could smell her bloody fingertip, and the path she had created had plenty of smears on it.

"Yes." Edward said, nodding at me. I rolled my eyes in exasperation at his short and kind of broken expression. Then he looked at me, holding out his arms. I looked at him weird. "I know you are trying to avoid changing into a vampire." Edward muttered and I could have sworn that had he been a human he would be scarlet in the face. I knew what he was doing of course, I could see Bella looking hopeful to our right with an incredulous Jacob.

"Well, that's sweet." I grinned at him, making eye contact with Jasper in question. He gave a nod and I opened my own arms, allowing Edward to pick me up and place me on his back. I eyed Bella, to make sure she was okay with this but there was no need to worry. She was fine with it, even looking excited that Edward and I were getting along so well.

I had to carry the pack on my own back, and when Edward started off I felt an odd, and worrying sense of nausea take over me. I didn't say anything, just pressed my lips together. This might not have been such a good idea. Whatever this was that was happening to me that was making me feel so….bad was peculiar and I'd never felt it in all of my three thousand years. What was I supposed to do with it? Tell Carlisle? Chances were that he wouldn't know either and I don't particularly want to become anyone's experiment. I think it was Carlisle's fatal flaw, he would try to find out what was wrong with me yeah, but he'd be scientific about it to.

I don't know but if I throw up on Edward I'm almost positive that I would have repaid him for what he did to Bella because it'll be all venom. I've yet to eat any human food and it had been way to long since I last fed. It wasn't that I wasn't thirsty; I could just simply go longer than the others could and often I took advantage of that.

Upon arriving at the site of the camp Edward and I prepared it for Bella, and I frowned as the air turned colder and colder, a storm was defiantly coming. This was the most strategic place that could be found though, while staying in Washington. The mountains around us obscured us from the view of anyone who was staring, and yet we had a splendid view of all of it. The whole time waiting for Bella both Edward and I worried. Sometimes for the same reasons, and some for the others but then Edward seemed to remember something and he cautiously turned to me.

He was standing over the rock cliff and I was sitting down on a log that I'd had him draw up for me outside of the tent. Soon it would be too cold for me to stay outside of the tent. It was that cold and the sun was quickly disappearing beneath the horizon. Soon Bella and Jacob would be here.

"What is it?" I asked him, raising my eyebrows when he sat down in front of me, frowning.

"I have an announcement…and I don't know how you'll take it." Edward said slowly, watching every move I made. I just stared at him in confusion because what could be so bad that he was watching me so closely?

"Just spit it out Edward." I told him, then my eyes darkening. "You aren't going to try to leave again are you?" I asked him, my voice rumbling in my chest as it turned half growl.

"No!" Edward put his hands up and I quickly back tracked, smiling at him so that he would tell me. When he did I froze. "Bella has agreed to marry me." I didn't know how to respond to him, I mean I couldn't just say that I didn't want for him to marry her because it had nothing to do with me and plus I'd already married. How would that look if I said no?

"Okay." I answered, nodding. Edward was still watching me. I rolled my eyes. "I'm not going to get all hateful, Edward. Relax." I told him, opening the bag beside me to try and find something to do. I found it in an apple. As I bit into it I felt like I'd just found the world's best apple. It was so delicious and rip. I've never liked apples before but this tasted nice. After that Edward and I didn't have anything to discuss and just before the sun went down Jacob arrived with a freezing Bella.

Of course Edward ran to her and hugged her and I tried to take the awkwardness away by hugging Jacob hello. "How've you been? Did you make it here all right?" I asked him, trying my hardest to distract him from Edward and Bella. Oh I'm going to hate it when he finds out about Bella and Edward's engagement. No doubt that will add drama to an already complicated situation. Since the fight was happening tomorrow Bella and I spent a little bit of time out in the air but had to hurry into the tent when it started to snow and the sun disappeared along with its light.

I hissed as I cradled Bella's shaking form closer to me. We were in one very large sleeping bag, and I was trying to keep her warm but I wasn't doing so well myself, freezing. I'm sure that my toes were frozen solid. Jacob was outside. He said Sam would relieve him in the morning and I couldn't help but wish he'd come in here and share his fucking temperature because if I lose a toe to this I'm going to take someone out. Snow was coming down outside and Edward was sitting on the other side of the tent, completely unaffected by the cold but more affected by the fact that Bella and I were freezing to death. Or more Bella was. I was freezing to 'rampage' if you follow.

I'd already had two rampages in this last year so I'd rather not have to do it again. On top of everything my stomach was really starting to ache and for a moment I got a fleeting sense of what a period was like, but that was not right because there was no blood, and I couldn't have children so a period was out of the question.

"I should have chosen a site farther down." Edward was agonized, watching me try to warm up his mate and I felt slightly for him but I was to frozen to care right now. Maybe later when I feel better.

"No, it's fine. I'm okay, Belle's okay." Bella looked at me and I spared enough energy to wink at her but I kept my mouth shut trying to preserve the warmth there at least.

"What can I do?" Edward demanded, his hands hovering as he was just itching to reach out and comfort her but he knew his cold exterior would only make it worse. I groaned as my stomach twisted. What was going _on _with me? I curled closer to Bella, with my arms around her. I was fucking freezing. See what it's done to my vocabulary? I truly felt like a teen having just discovered curse words.

Edward got no return and for almost two straight hours Bella and I tried to sleep, and failing miserably. I didn't mention my stomach cramps because there would have been nothing we could do anyways, and I didn't want to be more of a bother then I already was. Suddenly Jacob unzipped the tent, quickly zipping it back. I groaned with Bella as a blast of freezing came inside.

"I can't sleep with all that teeth chattering going on." Jacob complained, but he looked worried for both me and his crush. I looked at him as calmly as I could but the effect was lost with the pain I was in and the amount of blue that was probably taking over me. If you haven't guessed I was used to no temperature, but my body when in Egyptian mode was used to desert temperature, and cool nights spent with at least five fires staving off the cold.

"Forget it." Edward suddenly said, turning to Jacob. I almost forgot that he could read minds there for a second.

"Bella may need her toes someday." Jacob said and then he looked at me. I knew what he was thinking about without asking. "Plus we wouldn't want Belle to go on another rampage." His face twisted in guilt and I would have comforted him had I not been trying to keep warm here. Edward's head swiveled to me in disgust. I don't blame him. If I'd been able to see me with half my head missing I probably would have been disgusted as well.

Jacob took a step forward but Edward grabbed his arm.

"Get your hands off me."

"Keep your hands off of her."

"Guys, don't fight." Bella spoke up, half whimpering the sentence.

"If she gets sick, it's on you." Jacob poked, and he looked at me with worry as well which surprised me a bit. I thought that maybe because Bella was sick I'd take a back burner to her. Finally Edward gave the nod though it looked as if it was him that was going to be sick, not me, or Bella.

I moved over as Jacob got in, shuttering for even just the second it took him to get in made it colder. But as soon as he was in the bag, between me and Bella, and it was zipped up again I felt better. Jacob had Bella at one side of his chest and me on another. I groaned and pressed my cold body against his side, burying my face in his side. He jumped at the coldness but grinned.

"How's your leech going to like this?" Jacob grinned down at me.

"Jasper would kill you. You're lucky I wouldn't let him." I stuttered out, trying to keep warm.

"Wow, you two are really freezing." Jacob muttered as Bella took by my example after a second of hesitation and glancing at Edward who looked like he'd swallowed a lemon. Jacob made some cut at Edward but I didn't pay attention to it. He said something about taking our clothes off but I punched him in his side with my numb fingers. My stomach, while still topsy turvy, was getting slightly better. I couldn't figure any of it out. Why hadn't I studied medicine before this?

Soon I fell into a deep sleep, groaning in pain once before I was unresponsive to the rest of the world. It was a fitful sleep because one moment I was hot and the next I was cold and then I felt suffocated and the entire time my stomach was hurting. I couldn't figure out what it was, and my dreams were suffocated with the memories of days past except this time they weren't from Amenhotep.

"**Queen," Randall bowed low to me as I looked over a dune. We had settled in the dessert, close to my tomb in the tomb of Pharaohs. I often came here, to watch over my daughters resting places, and the places of my kin. I had killed many tomb raiders who had thought themselves stealthy enough to avoid the guards who were stationed here.**

"**What?" I snarled, as my voice was almost always was a growl. Once it had been beautiful, not that it wasn't now. My eyes swept the perimeter for any of the enemy. The enemy being the King of Russia. He'd thought it would be easy to take over my army but they had shown his meager two scouts that you didn't mess with me. What he was doing all the way in Egypt was not a mystery. The self-proposed King was being hunted by both the last of the Roman Kings and his own members. He had treated his members with too little freedom in the wrong places.**

"**There has been a sighting of the enemy. He carries a white flag." Randall told me. I had only known what the white flag meant once I had been turned. Randall had been a pirate in his olden days, which was just as young as my twentieth year. I was his creator and sometimes I regret succumbing to the loneliness of my younger days. But Randall had stayed beside me after the…fight with Tut. I just want to see Tut one more time, because it'll be the last he walks this earth. How dare that little **_**runt **_**take my throne and 'kill' me in the society's eyes.**

"**And what is the likely hood that he is seeking a truce? He knows we are allies with the Roman Kings." I told Randall, not turning away from the view of the city among the dunes. It was a beautiful sight, even if the defenses, which were so good against a human, were harmless to a vampire. I could jump over that wall, climb its smooth surface, or even slam right through it. The guards would be an appetizer while my army drains each and every member of that beautiful town. I'd run through the city to the temples, past the palace and into the throne room and then sinking my mouth into the throat of Tut's body and take his Ka back into me. I gave him life and he took my reason for staying alive away from me.**

"**I believe it to be a distraction." Randall told me. That was his human name he told me. It's been many years, but he is still trying to think for a vampire name. My own name was used very little. I had many names but I have yet to find one that truly calls to me, so I'm simply Queen. **

"**Gather the army and get them ready. Have Melba and his members scout out the opposite direction. Take your own members and meet with the peace maker. I will consult with the guardian. Ask him of it." I turned to Randall. He bowed to me, keeping his eyes to the ground as was customary of being in the presence of the Queen. My clothes were in shatters. I had been in a battle once in this candle already. A white top was now barely covering the globes attached to my chest, and the skirt of my once bottom was wrecked, only coming to mid-thigh having been mostly torn off by an opposite member.**

**Had we been humans my dress would have been scandalous. I would have to search for some new clothing the next feeding. It's better than some conditions of the armies I've seen. Some walk with no clothing or very little. I had been horrified in my youth with this world of vampires. Now I felt welcomed, as if this world was one I was meant to take part in. **

**I went through the tents, scavenged from our lives or the lives of our victims. My own had been taken from my humanity. It was old, dusty and patched but it was of the royal symbol, my own royal symbol. Ra was on it, and the eye of Horus. And there was only two others that were allowed into my room. Randall and the Guardian. The Guardian was special. He was one of my gifted but he was extra special. He had the ability to tell where people were within a certain distance from him. I had not been his creator, but I might as well have. He was only seventeen on his change and I felt as if I was his mother.**

**I never made it inside the encampment. With a shout of the king's name a vampire army came over the dune to the west and attacked us. We were surprised but I was no amateur. My army was meant to be the best. Every member of my army stopped what they were doing and they met the army.**

**I couldn't help but shout as I was ganged up on by five army members, two being at least five years of age, the other newborns. What was this king thinking, trying to send newborns at me? I killed them first, yanking their heads off. The others I took my time, taking them down.**

I woke up.

I was the last one in the tent. I could hear the voices of the others outside but I didn't move to join them. I was cold again, but not nearly as cold as before. My stomach was twisted, both from the pain that I couldn't figure out, but at the memory that came to my mind. It wasn't so much a nightmare, as it was something I didn't want to remember. I'd lost a lot of my members that day but that had been one of my more impressionable battles. A great deal of vampires remembered it, if they knew of it of course. Only maybe seven of us are still alive from that time, including the Roman Kings. There are only two of them left and Aro with his two brothers and Didyme, but she's dead. Randall is still alive…somewhere. He and I still keep in contact, though it was not as frequent as others.

We both didn't like to remember those times but Randall was a great second in command. He was the only one that I'd kept in constant contact with. Aro and his brothers had a place in my heart but not so much as Randall. He was the one who went through wars with me, who I trusted to have my back as they say now. I could remember many times that Randall and I had fought in sequence, nicknamed the twins of war for how many wars we'd won together.

After a few minutes remembering my second in command I got up, bringing my butt outside still wearing at least three layers of clothing. I had a beanie on my head, courtesy of Bella who had brought it with her to this place and I'd borrowed it. I sat heavily down on the log, grumbling to Bella who was sitting next to me. I nearly startled back off of my log when Seth came trotting over, in full wolf form. He panted at me, and I guess that was a hello.

"Hey Seth." I told him, smiling goofily.

"Hi Seth." Bella greeted as well. The little wolf sat back onto his haunches and let out a wolfie grin, sticking his tongue out the side of his mouth. "Did Jacob leave yet?" Bella asked of the wolf. Guessing by that I can assume that he'd been gone before she'd awakened this morning.

"No, he's making sure the woods are clear before he goes." Edward said, walking over to us. I turned to see him; puffing air out of my mouth and watching it steam up in the cool air. I missed Jasper already. I could already see they were about to have a moment so I stood up.

"I think I'll go explore a bit." I announced, taking off with an appreciated nod my reward from Edward, and an eye glance from Bella. As soon as I was out of earshot I knew they'd be all lovey dovey with each other and I'd barf if I saw it I'm sure. Speaking of vomit, my stomach was starting to hurt again. I didn't know how to describe it. It wasn't like it was in pain, just odd. I rubbed my hand over it, frowning and sighing. Maybe turning would be the better idea. Plus Jasper can mark me again later if he wanted to. Though I doubt he would. He was to horror struck when he'd realized that he had physically hurt me.

I closed my eyes, and initiated the change, willing myself to become vampire but something was wrong. I opened my eyes but everything was still human eyes and no pain from the change occurred. I panicked and clutched at my heart as it picked up. Oh no. What was wrong with me? Did I forget how to do it or something? No that's not possible it's as thoughtless as breathing. I couldn't age. I tried again, trying to age to a different age but nothing was working. It was just like a brick wall. As I tried to force the change it wouldn't happen but my stomach grew more and more painful.

What could have happened? Maybe I did need to see Carlisle. And Jasper. Jasper was going to be so worried. I didn't want him to worry but I was panicking and I couldn't draw enough breath. What was I going to do? The battle must have started by now. I'd been over here for almost thirty minutes just thinking and then panicking. It had only seemed to take a few minutes to think but here I was and there they were and I was having a panic attack. I could feel it. It felt like not only my stomach eating itself alive but my heart was trying beat out of my chest.

"Belle!" I heard Bella's frantic voice and then Edward was there, his hands on my arms. I knew he didn't understand why I was panicking, and I didn't understand why Bella was so panicked.

"Belle?" Edward looked my face over but he could find no reason for my panic. "What's wrong? Are you hurt?" Edward asked me, more like demanded of me.

"I can't change! I keep trying but it won't work. I've been hurting in my stomach but its not really a hurt, you know? It's just a weird feeling and I don't understand what's going on right now!" I was frantic, even as I saw Bella and Seth coming over the rise.

"We don't have time. Victoria is heading this way. She caught wind of mine and your scent. She knew we'd never leave Bella by herself." Edward explained, pushing me towards Seth. Then his brow furrowed and he looked off to the side. "Seth leave." He ordered Seth who pawed the ground for a second but left. "She isn't alone." Edward whispered to himself. I shuddered and pulled Bella behind Edward with me. In shock or panicking it didn't matter. Edward was the only one who could protect us. I didn't know why my powers were being blocked but I did know that

It only took a second for me to see him. Everything was covered in the white of snow, except for the man walking out. The man wore all black, his skin as pale as the snow and his eyes as red as the blood that tinted his lips. His hair was short and brown. He looked like a handsomer version of the Riley Biers that I had seen on all the missing persons pictures in Dad's hand.

He stepped out, predatory from the cover of the trees, taking slow steps towards us, his eyes holding on Bella and I over Edward's protective shoulder. I took a fleeting second to realize that he was protecting not just my sister but me as well. I didn't know what was wrong with me but I hope it could be fixed so that I could help to protect Bella. I didn't like feeling this helpless and like I couldn't protect the people I love. I wish more that Jasper was here. I needed his arms to feel protected.

"Riley, listen to me." Edward tried to talk his way out of it but it wasn't his speciality yet Riley stopped. He must have been almost newborn himself if he was stopping at what Edward said. "Victoria's just using you to distract me." He told him. "She knows I'll kill you." Then the red head herself appeared, dropping onto a branch harshly. She was just as bubble gum pink as the last time I'd seen her. Her red hair wasn't even beautiful. Had it been darker, a crimson color I might have at least thought her pretty but she was not.

"In fact, she'll be glad she doesn't have to deal with you anymore." Edward was watching both Riley and Victoria. I could tell by his voice that he was telling the truth and Riley must have realized it as well as he'd slowed his walk and his face was constricting in confusion.

"Don't listen, Riley." Victoria told him and just her voice made me growl. "I told you about their mind tricks." Edward cut in before she could continue.

"I can read her mind. So I know what she thinks of you." Victoria glanced at Edward in hate as he was throwing a wrench in her manipulation of Riley.

"He's lying." Victoria tried.

"She only created you and this army to avenge her true love, James." Edward growled. "That's the only thing that she cares about. Not you." Riley took his eyes off of Edward slowly, looking to Victoria who was glaring at Edward, and I from her branch and not Riley. Then she looked to him.

"There's only you. You know that." She tried to strengthen the bond between them. I wish I could rip her apart. Riley didn't deserve to be used as he was. He'd been only a human walking the wrong road at the wrong time.

"Think about it. You're from Forks." Edward was working his magic. I think I might have been wrong to think that he was bad at this. He did read minds after all. "You know the area. That's the only reason she chose you. She doesn't love you." Riley had yet to speak a word but he was definitely thinking it over. I bet he's rethinking past actions of Victoria's that he had only dismissed.

"Riley." The lying whore pleaded from her tree branch. "Don't let him do this to us."

"Riley," I purred, praying that even in my human form I could persuade him. "I'm Nefertiti, or Belle. She's told you about me, hasn't she? The vampire with the ability to age? Riley I could find you a better place. Somewhere that you didn't have to train newborns." I promised him. He looked conflicted, glancing between my promise and Victoria. He must have been in love because his face hardened in determination.

"You know I love you." Victoria whispered to strengthen her figurative grip over him. He looked to us, having settled on Victoria. I wanted to drop my head in defeat. I was useless in this situation, with my inability to change. I tried again but all it caused was another weird feeling in my stomach…as if something was trying to move in there.

He took two steps forward before lifting his eyebrows. "You're dead."

But as he crouched to attack he missed the angry werewolf that came over the stone and attacked him. I pulled Bella back, freaking out myself. It had been years since I'd _truly _been this helpless and I didn't miss this feeling at all. I watched unable, like Bella to really see much but I didn't miss it when Seth bite off Riley's hand. Victoria saw it to and jumped over and started to run away.

"You won't get another chance!" I yelled out to her, Edward taking a few steps forward. Victoria stopped, knowing that I was right. Slowly she turned to meet my eyes. You want her. But for the wrong reasons. _I _was the one to rip your precious James' head off his shoulder. I'll never forget the pleasure I felt at taking his life." I snarled as best I could as the lie poisoned my teeth. Edward was steadily moving forward, Victoria was shaking. "Don't you want Edward and I to feel that pain? To feel our loved one being turned to _ash_." I hissed and Victoria growled, running forward only for Edward to tackle her.

Bella and I didn't have a chance in hell of seeing what was happening. I continued to keep Bella at my side, prepared to protect her anyway I could though strangely without me thinking a hand rested softly on my stomach. I watched, flinching as once Victoria almost caught us, only to be slung into a tree across the way. Edward ran, knocking the tree to the ground before she could get away. Meanwhile Seth was battling Riley who only had one hand. Seth was lucky that Riley was missing a hand now and was a newborn. Had he been battling me I'd have won by now.

I concentrated again on Edward and Victoria and the blur of Edward and the red of her hair. I screamed as Seth was distracted, and Riley kicked his large wolf head into the rock with all of his force. Riley took the chance to tackle Edward off of Victoria. Now Bella gasped with me and I held on to her tightly. Edward slammed Riley's head into the snowy ground but Victoria grasped him by the shoulders and then around the neck, causing him to release Riley who gasped on the ground. I lost my weak hold on Bella and I couldn't do anything as she grasped a sharp rock from a pile.

The next thing I knew she'd slit her arm above her elbow.

**The Third Wife**

I shuddered, pulling her back but her trick had worked. Both Victoria and Riley's head and attention snapped to us just as they'd both been about to tear Edward's head from his shoulders. Edward managed to slam back against Victoria, and then grab at Riley into the grasp of a recuperated Seth. He bit into his shoulder. "Victoria!" He screamed out for his fake mate. "Victoria!" The woman turned away as the young boy was taken over the cliff and the sound of steel being torn to pieces, so familiar, was heard. Bella shuttered as I held her.

Victoria made a go at Bella, running for her but Edward intercepted her. Again the moves were too fast for a moment but then Edward held her head over his shoulder. He only hesitated a moment before ripping her head in half, cracking it where her spine had been. Edward grunted as her body fell sideways off his shoulder. It took him a moment to regather himself, to get his wits about him. He was not a vampire used to taking lives and was not able to shake it as I would have been.

"Edward?" I softly called, Bella tense in my arms. He rose, still half glazed and came to Bella's aid. I moved away, knowing all too well if he got even a thought that I'd take Bella away his mate instincts would kick in and I'd be lying next to Victoria. Speaking of her, Edward flipped me a lighter. I gladly approached the body as Edward and Bella began to speak to each other. Seth came back, just as I lit the body on fire. He threw pieces of Riley that he had gathered and I stepped farther away as purple, garish and familiar, started rising up.

Suddenly I frowned, as Seth growled something. Edward's head turned to Seth.

"Something is wrong." I gathered, stepping back to Edward and Bella.

"Alice needs us to go. Now." Edward told Bella and I, moving to make sure that Victoria really was burning. Then he stopped, seeing I'm guessing whatever Alice was seeing, I have no idea. And then Edward had swept Bella onto his back and I was suddenly on the back of Seth. I squealed, gathering handfuls of Seth's fur. It didn't take us long to get to the sight. There was no guessing where it was, as there were at least five fires of burning purple smoke.

As soon as we arrived in the field I was yanked from Seth's back and I was back in my Major's arms. I sobbed, holding on to him. "Why are you human?" He demanded, rubbing his hands everywhere. "What's wrong?" I just held tighter, grasping onto his black clothing. They were all wearing black. I don't know why it was just what it was.

"Later." I whispered. "What's going on?" I asked, then not giving him time as I kissed him. He returned the kiss passionately.

"-pack needs to leave." Carlisle's voice cut into our conversation of haste. I kept myself locked around Jasper as he moved us to stand with the rest of the family. "The Volturi won't honor a truce with the werewolves." My back tensed and I slumped for a second before crawling out of Jasper's grip.

"I can't be seen." I nearly shouted. "The Volturi? Who is coming with them?" I asked desperately.

"Jane, Alec, Demetri, and Felix." Alice returned. I groaned and tugged my hair. "Belle, what is up with you and the Volturi?" Then she noticed what Jasper had and her eyes widened. "Why are you human?"

"No time." I muttered to myself. "Have to stay." I said to myself, and then something happened. I saw it all. A straggling newborn had come out of the woods, and Leah in still wolf form had tried to take it on, nearly getting herself killed if it hadn't been for Jacob coming to her rescue. The newborn had managed to crush his side before the rest of the pack had come to his rescue. I jogged to Jacob, with Jasper and Bella by my side. I didn't care for his nudity, inside searching for the damage.

"It's on his right side." I roughly told Carlisle who had flashed over after he'd realized what had happened. "They are all broken. With the speed that Jacob and the wolves heal you'll have to wait until after the Volturi arrives." I told Carlisle. I knew that much. The coven leader met my eyes and I saw a hint of pride behind them but we didn't have time to talk about it as the pack hurried out from putting clothes on.

"Jacob you idiot I had it!" She shouted in frustrated grief.

"Leah!" I shouted at the same time as Sam though mine was angry while his was commanding. "We can't do anything here, we won't be able to win a fight against the Volturi." I told Sam. "You need to take him back to the Black house. We can get him fixed when we get there. I'll come with Carlisle." I told Sam when I realized he was reluctant to let the Doctor onto their land. He nodded, and we all moved away, Edward taking Bella by her shoulders and pulling her back as the entire pack got under Jacob, helping to support their pack brother when he needed it. I felt Jasper's tight grip on my hips as we both watched the agonized Jacob out of the clearing as fast as they could without hurting him but he would hurt either way.

"They're coming!" Alice announced and we all formed a line, Jasper picking me up to carry me swiftly. I shushed him, moving my hair into my face, and slouching purposely. I was already wearing clothing they would not recognize, and feeding on animals now so they shouldn't be able to recognize me as even Jasper, Jacob, Edward and even Bella's scent masked my own.

And come they did. Just like I remembered them. They glided like all vampires do, though they looked less human, no emotions on their face. Jane led the way; she was so different than what she used to be. I remember her when she was first changed. Alec, her twin brother was there as well though he wasn't so twinish. Next to Alec was Demetri, the best tracker which is probably how they found us here. On the other side of Jane was a large imposing figure that must be a newer addition because I didn't recognize him though he could very well rival Emmett.

All of the Cullens were a striking picture, besides Bella and I. I kept my head down and covered by hair, with Jasper's arms around me the only sign of my even being there. I was good at hiding when I need to be, or more not being noticed. I knew it was probably a lost cause already. After all Aro would have been informed via Edward's or Alice's thoughts that I was here with the Cullen family. As they made it far enough in front of us, as a sign that they were open to talking they took their hoods off. It was utterly ridiculous but a tradition none the less.

"Impressive." Jane announced, meaning the dead that were slowly burning around us, yet she never took her red eyes off of my new family. I could practically feel her distain and Jasper's hold on me tightened as he slipped his arm around my waist, pulling me half behind him in protection. It made my heart swell with relieved love. I couldn't protect myself and it had been a long time since I'd met with any member of the Volturi. "I've never seen a coven escape an assault of this magnitude intact."

"We're very lucky." Carlisle answered from the few inches he was standing in front of us.

"I doubt that." Jane said and I puzzled over what she meant.

"It appears we missed an entertaining fight." Alec said, from beside his evil sister.

"Yes." Jane's breathy voice whispered. "It's not often we are rendered unnecessary." She noted.

"If you'd arrived a half hour ago, you would have fulfilled your purpose." Edward pointed out. I could feel his anger. So the Volturi did know. I clutched onto Jasper's arm as my stomach ached a little more.

"Pity." Jane almost growled, making eye contact with Edward. Then her eyes glanced behind. I tensed. I hadn't seen her but there was one newborn there. She was rather pretty with brown hair and a scared look on her face. Almost as young as Jane herself I'd say. "You missed one."

Jasper walked us in front of Bree and I kept myself tucked onto his side, so that I ended up next to the new girl. I looked her over through my hair. On her next inhale she tensed in shock, looking to me in awe. She'd smelt my human scent and had been surprised by it, no doubt by her lack of want to taste it. The entire Cullen family had told me the thirst for blood wasn't present in them for me, though Jasper had been first. Jasper clutched my hand I reached subtly over so I could take this girl's hand. She was just a scared person, who hadn't even lived before this I bet.

"We offered her asylum in exchange for her surrender." Carlisle told Jane and I knew the moment he said it that Jane would not care for the idea. She had turned bitter in the years that I'd been gone; I could see it in her eyes and in her demeanor. Aro had ruined her just like he ruins everything else he touches.

"That wasn't yours to offer." Jane told him. The girl started trembling in fright and I squeezed again. "Why did you come?" Jane asked her and my jaw clenched when her gaze flitted to me before she dismissed me. I was right, she didn't recognize me. And then the girl fell to the ground in pain. I dropped with her, releasing Jasper's hand so I could hold her. "Who created you?" I was in pain watching this child being tortured.

"Enough!" I finally announced. I drug up the memories that I'd seeked to avoid, though not the ones of which I'd told Jasper. The girls screams stopped as I could practically feel Jane's surprise. I guess having Jasper as a mate helped. I stood up, brushing the hair out of my face. It took them a second of adamant shock before Jane, Alec, and Demetri dropped to their knees, bowing their heads. Felix, a little slower, moved to follow them. I released the girl's hand, and Jasper's as I glided forward, even more graceful then a vampires. I could almost think my eyes were glowing with my rage.

"Jane I don't know what has _happened _to you since the last time we've spoken but this is not how I taught you." I boomed, standing in front of her. I didn't want to see the Cullens surprise. I didn't have the heart. Jane flinched keeping her eyes on the ground. "What do you have to say for yourself?" I demanded of her. That was invitation for all to rise, and Jane looked up but not in my eyes.

"I apologize my Lady." Jane intoned, softly.

"_I'm _not the one you just tortured." I growled, eyeing her. "Apologize to the girl. I remember when it was you I was saving from torture." I sneered, moving out of the way for Jane to apologize. In doing so the shocked and incredulous, along with incomprehension on the Cullens faces were made apparent. I refused to flinch because a sign of weakness would only cause Jane to question me and as a human that wouldn't be exactly the best idea right now, at least until I figure out what is wrong with me.

"I am…sorry." The words seemed as if they burnt her throat as they came out of her esophagus. I frowned and kept up the charade of long ago. I hated it and a little part of my heart was shriveling up a little more.

"I-It's okay." The girl flinched and Jasper went to his knee beside her, putting an arm on her shoulder but his eyes met mine and I swallowed before I winked at them all, where Jane couldn't see it. It made some of them, such as Esme and Rosalie, lose their tenseness but not by much. Emmett followed Rosalie's example and relaxed but he was still ready for battle and Carlisle looked to be examining me. On the other hand Edward's eyes were furrowed as he read their minds, holding onto Bella all the while. Alice was confused, and she couldn't look forward into the future because she thought that the Volturi would come after them.

Jasper was watching me, not angry. He knew that I had been in wars, and that there was a lot of my life that he didn't know about. I would have a lot to explain after this and not just to Jasper but to the entire family and I wasn't ready to drag up old memories but it looked like a choice was not in my future.

"Girl, tell them what they want to know." I said, not softening my voice because that would be weakness in Jane's eyes. It didn't mean anything. I'd gained the girls trust by sticking up to her where the Cullen family would not. "Don't worry. Jane wouldn't go against my orders…will you Jane?" I asked, my voice darkening to show even more my distaste for what she did.

"Of course not." It was bit out but not at me, at the girl.

"I-I don't know. Riley wouldn't tell us. He said that our thoughts weren't safe." She supplied.

"No doubt because of Edward's talent." I mused, keeping my head high, my back straight and the air of a leader of old around me. It was like sliding back into an old me, one that I had learned to hate because I didn't like acting superior to other people.

**You people are fucking mind readers. How do you do it? Is it that obvious? Well you can wait to be told the truth. I hope you like it because this is one of the last chapters. The next one will be last. I'm kind of sad to see it go. The next one you get even more of her background to! I won't be going to far indepth with anything that was in breaking dawn, beacause I wasn't a big supporter for that movie. Sorry.**

**You guys are so awesome. I love that you guys review so much and it feels my heart with warmth that I can't describe!**


	11. An Ending

"Her name was Victoria, perhaps you knew her." Edward spoke up and I winced because I had to glare at him for speaking out of turn in my presence. He looked bewildered but I pretended I was letting it slide.

"May I speak?" Carlisle hesitantly asked me. He was about three hundred years old, so he'd been around long enough at least to understand what was going on, and the mistake that Edward had made. Edward seemed to realize it to because he flinched, holding Bella closer to him.

"Yes." I answered. "The Cullen family may all speak clearly." I said glancing not at the Cullens but at Jane and Alec, the two most ferocious though it looked as if Felix had no mind to be. He was most likely just brawn and there to take orders. Most of the guard are.

"Edward," Carlisle turned sideways, bowing to me as was the tradition and the way it was supposed to be. "If the Volturi had knowledge of Victoria, they would have stopped her. Isn't that right, Jane?" Carlisle, not out of meanness but in trying to fix Edward's mistake, asked Jane. I turned when Jasper tilted his head a little, just begging Jane to try and hurt one member of the Cullen family. I met his eyes and swelled a little in the heart, shoving my anxiety and worry, and my love, so he would know that I was still the same person. He gave an unnoticeable nod to me.

"Of course." Jane said and I knew from the way that she said it. She swallowed back her venom before turning to me. "My Lady, you know our rules, and the girl went against the Volturi." She was cautious, looking over my human form. I showed my teeth to make her think I wasn't completely useless.

"Yes. I know the Volturi's rules but Aro also _knows _that there is much that he owes me. I am older than him and he knows to respect me for my past deeds. This girl did not willingly go against you." I said gesturing to the girl. "Aro will understand that no one told her of the Volturi, and he will also know she is under my…protection."

"If I may speak?" Demetri asked, taking a step forward and bowing at the waist. I nodded. "There are many vampires in the Cullen coven, if you are in it as well, and soon Isabella. Would it not be presumptuous to say, the humans would notice a new member?" I chuckled, it rolled off my tongue dark and crystal clear in the silence of the clearing. Only the rage of the fire was heard as the Volturi tensed, expecting me to be angry for being questioned and the Cullens for never having heard me this way.

"I understand. I was planning to contact Randall and have him take her. He's been alone to long." I mused, smirking at Jane and Alec as they flinched at Randall's name. They remembered him then. "Unless you would want me to give her to Vladmir and Stefan?" I questioned with a rise of my eyebrow. Felix growled, not understanding who I was. Automatically my eyes dilated and I glared at him.

Jane quickly turned to him, putting him in pain. I more heard the gasp of the Cullens and Bella as Felix dropped to his knees. "Jane." I commanded and she turned to me, bowing. "Thank you."

"My Lady, we will have to report that the…human." Jane turned her red eyes on Bella and I tutted and Jane's eyes returned to me. "Is still human."

"Ah, about that. The date has been set. They are to be married first and then changed." I told Jane. "Why don't you pass that on to Aro – and Caius." I rolled my eyes at his name. "Why don't you return home? I have this-" I gestured out to the Cullens and the girl, even the field. "Under control." Jane bowed at the subtle command and they all pulled their hoods up, going back to the tree line, Felix glaring behind him.

"Aro will be happy to know that you've found your mate." Jane told me, smiling but it didn't seem to reach up her face. I nodded at her and she was the last one to flash out of the tree line. The moment they were gone my shoulders slumped and I let out a breath, turning back to the girl. I walked to her, dropping to a knee.

"Are you all right?" I asked, taking her shoulders. She responded by burying herself in my hold. I winced a little. "Hey, take it easy, I'm human right now." She pulled back fast, clutching her hands and I laughed. "Don't worry, it's my gift. I age. Look I have to call a friend but don't worry they won't hurt you." I told her, putting a hand on her shoulder for a moment before turning to Jasper, hesitating. "Can you hold her for a second?" I asked him. He nodded, not speaking.

I pulled out my cell phone, inspecting it for injuries but it worked. I scaled through my contacts, hesitating over the button before I looked up into the eyes of the Cullen family. I clicked the call button and put it to my ear, running a hand through my hair, staying on my knee but moving to lay cross legged, one hand on my stomach.

"My Queen." Were the first words through the phone that I heard. After years of not having heard my second in command, for all intents and purposes my best friend, I sighed.

"How soon can you be in Forks, Washington?" I asked skipping over the greeting so he would know that this was more serious than a 'let's meet up' call.

"I'm in Canada. You're lucky. I can be there thirty minutes." He reported, and I heard a whooshing sound start, he was running to me. "What is it? Another army?"

"No, not anymore." I smirked over the phone at his worry for me.

"Shame." He commented.

"I've got a present for you, my second." I told him and he laughed sarcastically.

"Because I've always enjoyed your gifts. I'll be there in twenty five minutes." He said, hanging up and I slid my phone into my pocket, meeting the eyes of every Cullen member, settling on Jasper who was watching me, while keeping the girl calm with his emotion control.

"I guess I have a lot to explain, huh?" I commented, rubbing my hair back. "Carlisle, I think it's best if you hear later. Jacob requires your medical attention." I submitted that to his mind. He nodded, glancing at Esme who gave him a kiss. I scrunched my nose. It was like watching my actual parents kissing. Carlisle flashed off and I watched him go. I'd have to ask him what was wrong with me later, after he'd seen to Jacob who seemed worse off than me.

"Belle?" Jasper stood up, still holding onto the girl. I sighed, looking to her in confusion.

"What is your name?" I asked her curiously.

"Bree…Tanner." She gave me, shyly. I smiled at her crookedly, winking.

"Welcome to my family, Bree." I said, leaning forward to kiss her cheek before I rose from the ground and I winced when the feeling in my stomach returned full force. At once Jasper was at my side, looking me over for what had caused me pain. "I'm all right for now, Jasper." I whispered. "I have to tell about my life now, that's what you should be worried about." I hesitated. "Hold me?" Jasper didn't waste any time, moving behind me so that I could see everyone but holding me around the waist, sending me his love and comfort.

Taking a deep breath I started, telling them about Amenhotep first. Esme and Rosalie ended up clutched each other, their hands over their mouth and understanding in Rosalie's eyes. I didn't want to tell her that the experience she had in the street could have been much worse had she really married Royce and ended up like me. When I finished, telling them about Tut's deceit, and when I reached even the barriers of Jasper's knowledge, I continued.

"My whole life was centered around getting revenge, as a vampire holds grudges more than a human." I slid that in for the crying Bella's sake. Edward had a tight hold of her. "I joined up with an army. It was a very good one, I got lucky. The leader was skilled but he could never see how far I would come. He trained me himself, seeing my natural talent but when he touched me….wanting to move a long with our relationship outside of training I took his life…in front of all of his army members. They swore allegiance to me and because of my fit of rage I was a Queen once again." I gulped.

"**My Queen." They intoned together, falling to their knees, bending into a bow. I didn't know what to do. I'd been so angry, I still held the leader's head in my hand. I tightened my shoulders and like that I was a Queen again, and it felt good to finally be back in my place.**

"For years I made myself known, finding people and getting better at being a warrior. These wars were nothing like the newborn wars. These people were blood thirsty but they were smart, they were aged. My army had seen things that a newborn army was never meant to." I sighed. "I admit back then I was much more violent than I am now. If Edward had spoken up without my permission then I would have snapped his neck for daring to give me such a dishonor." I motioned to Edward who nodded tensely.

"I did all of this with one goal in mind, take down Tut." I took hold of Jasper's hand on my own and he tangled my fingers with his, giving me comfort. "And I got what I wanted. In a battle that is legendary, to any who are old enough to remember it which are few. It happened maybe a thousand years ago, when Aro was a newborn. I had an alliance with the last of the Roman Kings and there was only one army that still fought against ours. The Roman Kings understood how I felt at Tut and so we took the city. The humans never knew what happened to Tut and about forty of his 'guard' as he called them, probably where Aro got his little nickname for his people.

"I didn't just kill Tut." Shuddered, swallowing four or five times before I was able to speak. "Contrary to popular belief, burning a vampire is not the only way to kill them. Another way is biting them and…and sucking the venom out of their skin. They become mummified, almost human." I told them and I saw the horror cross their faces. "I've regretted it from the moment that I did it but I thought you should know. That is why I am revered throughout the vampire world. I was the only one able to endure the feeling of burning alive as another vampire's venom burned my veins." I shuttered and Jasper held me tighter, my back pressed completely against his chest.

"My war skills are legendary. I went through many more battles and wars other than that, with my second in command, Randall stayed by my side, the only other vampire that survived what they called the Egyptian Wars. We were never the same and at one point I jumped off of a ship, after the Roman Armada wars, a newborn war on the seas, I made myself sink to the bottom and stayed there. I don't know exactly how long I'd been under there before I went mad with bloodlust and ended up biting through a whole pod of whales. That's how I found this diet." I smiled thoughtfully.

"I ended up in Brazil, where I learnt my gift, and I tried to be faithful to my new diet. There was only one instance after that where I was not proud. I say that I was under the water maybe a year or two. I had returned to Europe, and after a while I figured out that Aro was going to take over the Roman Kings. I tried to warn them, but Vladimir and Stefan did not listen. I guess you know what came from that. I'd been so angry with them that I had not battled for them. They did not blame me, they knew they should have listened and didn't."

I looked up from where my eyes were on the ground but I didn't look at them, preferring to look at a tree in the background. "Aro found me helpful and he liked me. He…was happy to have me as part of his Volturi, praising me and making me Queen…to him." Jasper inhaled sharply and I glanced behind me to see him pained and something else I couldn't understand. "But that lasted only a century of two before he found Suplicia and I was shoved to the side. I don't think Aro ever got over it, while I did. He knows he owes me his life because back then that was a call for taking someone's life." I shook my head.

"My life has been riddled with royalty, and leadership runs so deep through my veins. I'm glad I found you all. I was so _tired _of being put on a pedestal like I couldn't make mistakes." I wrapped my arm, that didn't have a hand still tangled with Jasper's around my stomach which was still feeling weird but almost…normal. "When you didn't recognize me I felt like I had a chance at a new life, for just a little bit."

They wouldn't want me now. With my crazy life out in the open or all of them to know I don't think that anyone would want to see me again. Just the thought of being without Jasper was enough to make me think that maybe Edward's idea of going to the Volturi was a good idea. I didn't want to be alone again.

"Belle." Esme's agonized whisper grabbed my attention and without my permission my eyes caught hers. She came forward, taking me from Jasper's arms a little so that she could hug me to her tightly. "I'm so sorry that you went through that, we all are." Esme watched her children and I followed her eyes. Rosalie and Alice were being held in Emmett's large arms and the big guy looked as if he was barely holding it together. Was my story that sad? I had thought they would be frightened of me. Bree was looking at me with awed horror but the horror didn't seem to be aimed at me.

Bella was crying into Edward's shoulder, and he was the only one who seemed calm but he had probably heard enough of my story from Jane's mind to know that it wasn't pretty. Now it was Jasper's turn. I looked up over my shoulder and I was more shocked to see venom tears trying to come out of his eyes. They would never make it but Jasper's soft kiss, a press of his cold lips to my warm ones, was enough.

They still cared. I was still loved. I felt my heart melt and I smiled at them.

"Don't be sad, it's behind me…most of the time." I admitted.

"Yes, mostly." Randall's voice called and I looked to the edge of the forest. There he was dirty blonde hair with layers of human blood and dirt in his hair and on his clothes. He had his beard still and a papery touch to his skin. I moved from Jasper's arms, and Randall ran to me, gathering me in his arms and spinning me around. "It's good to see you again, Nefertiti." Jasper's growl voiced and Randall snarled at him, before raising his eyebrows and grinning.

"Oh, Randall, this is my mate and husband, Jasper." I introduced, tugging Randall to Jasper.

"It's Alistair, now." Randall grinned at me, winking. I laughed and pulled him to Jasper. They did a kind of handshake, the one where they try to break each other's hands off. I rolled my eyes, sticking to Jasper's side and looking happily at Randall who was looking at the Cullen family. "Esme," He tilted his head. "Edward." I guess he'd met some of them before. "Carlisle's told me about his new family."

"Yes, and I'm going to tell you about your own." I told him, motioning for Bree who had gotten off of the ground at the arrival of this new visitor. "I want you to teach her about the vegetarian diet." Automatically the surprise whipped off of his face. "Randall." I warned and he rolled his eyes.

"Oh come on. You know if I teach it to her, then I have to do it." He whined and I snorted.

"Please?" I pouted, poking out my bottom lip. He wrinkled his nose and snorted to. Both of us knew that he would do it, because Randall was still my second in command. I think he would always be my second in command because we knew each other to well.

"All right." Randall told me and as soon as the last syllable left his mouth Carlisle was breaking back through the tree line, determined as he called out to me.

"The pack won't allow me onto the land without an escort." He told me. I rolled my eyes, turning to Jasper. It brought back that I couldn't change.

"Take me?" I asked Jasper, and he narrowed his eyes. "I can't change. Something is blocking it." I got an idea, eyeing Bree. "Maybe she's some kind of shield or something." I muttered, but Jasper gathered me into his arms bridal style and we were off. I didn't see anything, as per usual and my body was pressed hard into Jasper's arms.

It didn't take long to pass the treaty line, and a wolf accompanied us.

When we arrived at the Black house I had to take a moment to clear my head and Carlisle went in without me, but I followed soon after, with tense Jasper's help. He was eyeing all of the wolves but they were not in a mood to fight him.

Once I got in the room I was automatically put to work. It hurt to see Jacob in so much pain. His agonized screams were enough to tear at my heart. I didn't pay attention to much, even when they let Billy in on his demands. He started crying for his boy automatically and I had to order him out of the room so Carlisle and I could rebreak Jacob's bones. It was a hard process, each bone being rebroken a chip at my heart. When we finally finished, I was able to look up and let Carlisle bandage Jacob. With his nod I rose to go clean my hands, and then I felt his cold hand on my arm.

"I'm proud of you; you'll make a good doctor." Carlisle told me. I smiled fleetingly at him as I went and washed myself off. As soon as I got out I saw Bella disappear into Jacob's room. I sighed and walked outside, where Jasper had gone to get away from Jacob's screams and to give us some much needed room in the small space. As soon as I was out Jasper gathered me into his arms. Carlisle had delivered the news to everyone here and there was a sense of relief. I reveled in the good emotion.

"Let's go home." I muttered, sighing. I needed Carlisle to check me over soon, the feeling in my stomach was weird but I was beginning to get used to it and I don't know if that is a good thing or not. Jasper nodded, kissing my hair before he gathered me up again.

I loved Jasper, all of his warm comfort and love. He still loved me for everything that I was, even after he heard what had happened. As he ran our eyes met, him glancing down to me and I smiled. He returned it with 'my' smile, his pearly whites almost glistening and I kissed him while he ran towards our home, where our family waited.

**The End**

**If you wanted a little Breaking Dawn, I continued it for you. It's not a lot but it will give you a little room to imagine your own Breaking Dawn with Nefertiti in it!**

"I think I know what it is and I don't think you are going to like it." Carlisle came into the living room. After I'd told them what was going on, and that I couldn't change, my stomach hurting, Carlisle had demanded to check me out. Since Esme had whispered word for word what had happened to me, his face had gotten progressively more compassionate and horror struck. It had made me realize something, Carlisle saw me as part of the family, as did everyone.

"What is it?" Jasper asked his grip on the loveseat we were in nearly breaking it, if it wasn't already. Carlisle paused, looking down at the test results. He'd taken me to the hospital to run some private tests and with the way he was looking I didn't know if I wanted to know about it.

"….she's pregnant."

**I know it's not much but it was enough I hope. I really didn't see the point in Breaking Dawn and I'm not a real fan of it, except with the confrontation with Aro, and Garrett. That man….. I know a lot of people wanted me to do it but I just don't like the idea of it right now. Maybe later, and I mean later.**

**Anyways, I hope you enjoyed your time with me!**

**Also, in case you didn't read before,** Xo Bella Italiana oX** is going to be doing the Breaking Dawn in this story. I kept what was already up there, in case you didn't want to read her story, and just wanted to leave it off where it is now. It might take her some time to write the next part, I don't know for sure, but I really like her writing. So as soon as she tells me she has the first chapter up, I'll write something here to tell you that the Breaking Dawn for this has started!**

**Well, I guess this is it. Thank you for reading my stories and I love all of you for reviewing!**


End file.
